I'm someone who's always taken pride in my job. One of the proudest moments was working on the restoration of The Houses of Parliament. But I can also admit, I've always struggled with alcohol. After starting my own company, the stress mounted to the point where I was drinking heavily and using drugs to help me work through the night. Eventually, things came crashing down. The business collapsed and I stopped seeing my family and daughters. Then I lost the only thing I had left – my flat.
In February 2016, I went through detox and I’ve remained totally clean ever since. I now live in shared housing with others in recovery. As one of the longer-term residents, I help others at earlier points in their journeys, taking them to support meetings which I volunteer at.
Being a construction site manager is the right move for me. First, I have lots of experience in construction. Second, a construction site manager role is well-suited to my age - I have some back problems and I'm not getting any younger! Third, I’ll be able to use my newer skills around listening to and supporting others. Once I'm back in work, my plan is to get my own place, donate the £1,005 back to new members' campaigns and make my family and me proud once again.