In September 2022 I became a resident at Change Grow Live Shepherd House to continue my recovery and found the organisation to be well structured, client focused and with a much more holistic approach to recovery.
I continued to thrive at Shepherd House and in November 2022 was given the opportunity to move to stage 3 recovery at the Cedars in Canterbury. This was where my journey truly began to gather pace. I was given the opportunity to do a PTS (Personal Track Safety) railway course in March, and through hard work and dedication completed and passed the course in June. This qualification has given me a trade/career for life, and this is thanks in no small part to Department of Work and Pensions careers staff that attend Change Grow Live projects regularly.
After continued sobriety, in July 2023 I received a nomination from Change Grow Live for permanent social housing through the local authority. After months of bidding for a suitable property in I won a bid to be housed in a new build property and will be taking up residency there in the coming days.
With dedicated, skilled staff and well-run projects, Change Grow Live has truly allowed me to change, to grow and to live differently from the past. Through Change Grow Live, I've gained continued sobriety, a career and permanent accommodation.