Matt

"When I contacted CRI, I had a 15 year history of drug dependence and substance misuse and wanted to achieve complete, future, life-long abstinence.

"Since engaging with a CRI recovery worker my life has changed dramatically. CRI helped me recognise my triggers and taught me to put in place 'recovery capital' to sustain a continued and prolonged recovery. I took a CRI peer mentoring course and became a peer mentor volunteer at a drop-in and needle exchange.

"I have established a much better and closer relationship with my family and now have regular contact with my two sons.

"I took professional training courses around substances and alcohol and am starting a BTEC in counselling skills as the first step to a foundation degree and a future career in counselling.

"I have stopped smoking too and exercise regularly: I have never felt so fit and healthy and I love every day. I see myself with a healthy and rewarding future as a rounded person with a congruent relationship with myself.

"The support I received from my recovery worker was outstanding and exactly what I needed at the time. The peer mentoring project is imperative to where I am in my current recovery and I can’t praise it enough."

* Name and photo has been changed to protect the identity of the service users who shared their stories with us.