About Us
Louise
At 45 years old my life today is now filled with freedom, courage, people, love, hope, empathy, dignity and respect – things I never had when I was drinking. Alcohol and other drugs left me hopeless, guilty, and full of inner pain and shame. My need to drink ruined many relationships, and moments that should have been joyful were instead lost.
Finding freedom from alcohol and other drugs (including anti-depressants) gave me the chance to create a life I truly love. Now, I use my lived experience and “badges” I’ve picked up along the way to train and coach others in Mental Health First Aid and mindset development, as well as volunteering to facilitate SMART Recovery meetings. My passion is helping people create real, positive change in their lives – showing that freedom from substances, combined with daily self-care, and mindfulness builds a positive mindset and a life that really is worth living.
Nick
My name’s Nick, I was born in 1966, and I have been a drinker for over 40 years. I’m married with two grown-up children, and I have a passion for watching sport.
I’ve had a long career in sales within the electrical industry, and alcohol played a big part in both my social and working life. I was a functioning alcoholic for the last fifteen years.
Since COVID, my drinking spiralled out of control. I surrendered to alcohol on 13 July 2024, and since that date I’ve never had a drink. I’ve been in recovery ever since.
I now live by my core values, recovery, gratitude, positivity, connection, structure, and self-love.
My lived experience of addiction plays a massive role in my life today. The ALERT project is the next step on my journey. Lived experience can play a huge role in recovery, and I’m looking forward to being involved in this venture and using my story to support others.
I’m excited to get connected!
Patrick
I have a backstory that is, at times, as wild and sad as it is long.
I struggled with my mental health and substances for 35 years, a lot of water, and stronger liquids, have flowed under the bridge during that time.
I finally came into sustained recovery at the age of 50, and I am currently 32 months abstinent. I would say that around the last 14 months of those have felt like true recovery, not just putting down my destruction of choice.
I don’t believe there is just one way to recover, mine was truly holistic, using a mixture of addiction services, fellowships, SMART Recovery, therapy, peer support groups, and education.
I became part of this channel, and others, to share my experience. I recover out loud, because I damn near died in silence.
Ronnie
Hi, I’m Ronnie and I consider myself to have been a middle-lane drinker, just a lad who sometimes drank a little, sometimes a lot, but usually more than I’d originally intended to. For nine months I thought I had it under control, but deep down I knew something was missing. It wasn’t until I reached out to local services and started attending AA meetings that I began to find my way.
With the support of groups and professionals, I started to rebuild. My first sponsor didn’t quite work out, I think I was more interested in manipulating the system than truly doing the work. But then I met someone new, someone with a strong faith background who guided me through the 12 steps with understanding. It wasn’t easy, surrendering was hard for me, but with his reluctant guidance (and my growing willingness), I worked through the steps and found freedom.
I’m now completely sober, and it’s an incredible feeling. Recovery isn’t just about quitting substances, it’s about living a life you don’t want to escape from. I’m grateful for the journey, the struggles, and the people who’ve supported me along the way. If you’re struggling, know that there’s hope, and there is a way out.
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