Welcome to the Personal Stories Page

I first went to ADS about 14 months ago when I became worried about my amphetamine and alcohol use. I remember my first day, I wasn’t sure what to expect and felt a bit intimidated, so much so, the first couple of times I came to the drop in I considered not going back. But I stayed with it.

 

I remember being asked by Colin, my worker at the time why it was I came to ADS. I told him I knew I couldn’t come to the drop in with a drink in me, so my few hours in the drop in were keeping me sober for a good portion of the day. I was also making friends, and enjoyed comments from workers and volunteers about my openness to share my experiences with workers and service users alike. I began to enjoy going to the drop in, it gave me something more constructive to do with my days other than getting drunk or high.

 

ADS moved to the Municipal Buildings in Wigan, and I was assigned a new worker Graham, who tried to encourage me to access the ETE programme ADS offered, I didn’t want to do this at the time and explained to him I was quite happy at the moment, and my days were full enough. Gordon the ETE coordinator at ADS began coming over to the Municipal Building, explaing what they were offering to service users. Gordon spoke to me, and I told him there was nothing he had that interested me. He immediately came back with “What are you interested in?” “Music”, I replied.

 

About a week later Gordon came back over and told me there was a course running in West Houghton centred on music, I agreed to go to the introduction session at ADS Hallgate building about that time I started to go to the drop in at S.B.S where I did some pop art, which I really enjoyed. My worker asked me if I had ever thought of becoming a volunteer at S.B.S, I wasn’t interested, I was enjoying what was going on and didn’t want to over do it.

 

The more I went to do my pop art, and helping other service users do theirs the more I started to think about the volunteering. About 5 weeks ago I went into the drop in at ADS and proudly told my worker I had applied to be a volunteer at S.B.S. At the moment I’ve done my induction and have been accepted as a volunteer and am waiting for my CRB check to come through. I’ve even thought up a title for my job there, I’m going to be their Arts and Crafts Consultant. I went to the first Lyrics for learning this week and it was brilliant, I took my tambourine and had a bit of a jam with the others it was sound!

 

When I first went to ADS I just felt worthless about myself, I didn’t care if I was alive or dead. I used to go to bed thinking if I wake up in the morning I wake up, if I don’t I’m not bothered. Now I look forward to every day and I just think bring it on man. I’ve got a confidence now I never used to have I believe in myself, because others believe in me.

 

I used to look in the mirror and hate the sight of my reflection, now when I see myself I think, looking good!