Are you tired, of being sick and tired? Back in the early 2000s that was the marketing slogan for Turning Point, often stamped on the wall in a police cell, encouraging you into recovery. I had seen it a few times, during my stays in custody.
It was around early 2005 when I first officially became a client of Turning Point in Westminster. There was a van that used to park up under Counterpoint in Tottenham Court Road, it had a needle exchange in the back. I was new to injecting and took pride in being safe. The van was an extension to the Hungerford Project in Soho, which was a drug rehabilitation service also run by Turning Point.
Although it’s no longer the Hungerford project there are still some familiar faces that work there, and still some long-term clients who use the service.
Part of the service was a drop in that provided groups and self-help sessions, there was always food too. If I’m honest it was always the food that drew me in. Being a rough sleeper addicted to heroin and crack, buying food was never a priority.
I had a few allocated key workers while I was a client at Turning Point, but all the staff were so helpful. Nobody ever pressured me to get clean, in honesty I don’t think there was much hope for me, I was beyond the point of wanting to help myself, so there was little chance of survival. I did attempt recovery a few times with the support of Turning Point, but temptation always pulled me back.
However! After a chronic few year of addiction, rough sleeping and time in custody, in 2008 everything changed. Part of the service at the Hungerford was a blood borne virus testing clinic. I was already at a point of something had to change, “I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.” I’d not long got out of prison and was engaging everyday with the project. I was on methadone, in a hostel and on medication for my mental health.
I was determined! And for once I was ready to help myself. I had decided to get tested for Blood borne viruses, at the clinic and a week later I was diagnosed with hepatitis b and c along with HIV. At first the diagnosis pushed me back into the addiction, but the determination was still there. After a short-lived relapse, I began engaging again with the service and 15 years later I’m still in recovery.
The road was rough, but today I’m a proud parent to twins, I’m cured of hepatitis and my HIV is undetected. I’m using everything I know to teach, motivate and inspire change. Because with the right support and nurture, recovery is possible. I would not be where I am today without the support of the staff who I had the pleasure of working with, during my time as a client at Turning Point. People who still work there today and people who have gone on to different jobs. Golden hearts that loved me when I didn’t love myself. When I was sick and tired of being sick tired, Turning Point, helped me wake up.
In 2024 I will have the honour of attending Turning Point not as a client, but as a professional. I will be doing an inspirational talk around my new book Gutter to Glory: Pavements to Parliament for the clients. This is in the hope to encourage and inspire others using the service, that recovery is possible, and when they are ready to stop feeling sick and tired, Turning Point are true to their word! They are there, ready and waiting to help you every step of the way.
You can create positive change in your life too.
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