WEBVTT 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:05.519 Well, hello again. 00:00:05.679 --> 00:00:06.559 We're back. 00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:13.839 Our United Even Church podcast, and we have the sensational Joan Campbell and Helen McNally. 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:15.439 I think I got that right. 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:22.480 Good, good from our Haven hub that uh works out of connections, Fulham connections. 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:32.000 And we've got the first question, of course, which is who in history might you like to meet if you could, other than Jesus? 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:33.840 Who's gonna go first? 00:00:34.240 --> 00:00:35.200 You're going first? 00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:36.240 You go first. 00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:42.640 I think I would like to meet Nelson Mandela. 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:45.039 It's probably one that everybody chooses. 00:00:45.439 --> 00:01:02.320 Um bec just because of what he went through and what he stood up for, and um, and I think there's still a case for that today, and the fact that he he was in prison for so long for a cause that he truly believed in. 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:16.079 And um it would be good to know what were going through his thoughts at at that time, you know, and also when he came out because there was a lot happened in his own personal life as well when when he was eventually released. 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:20.480 So I think he'd be an interesting guy to have around the table, yeah. 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:22.719 Yes, an inspirational guy, yes. 00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:24.799 And Helen, what about yourself? 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:30.400 Well, most folk probably say Elvis, but I would say uh Dolly Parton. 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:31.760 Dolly Parton, yeah. 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:38.480 Everything she did for youngins and just kind she was. 00:01:38.640 --> 00:01:42.879 I loved her music, I liked the stories she told in her music. 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:45.840 Um she didn't hide where she came from. 00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:50.400 Yes, and she just spread the love around the world, really. 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:57.200 Yeah, so we lasting from Tennessee and quote of many colours and yes, some great songs. 00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:00.799 She's a deeply spiritual lady as well, yes. 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:03.120 Fantastic. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:04.959 And and we're gonna get to the business. 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:09.360 So the hub, the Haven Hub. 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:11.680 Tell us, tell us what it is, Joan. 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:19.039 So the Haven Hub is an outreach arm of the Haven Rehab Centre in Kilmacomb. 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:26.159 And it replaced the Teen Challenge Strathclyde outreach arm for people with addictions. 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:31.599 Uh, they came together last year, but essentially it's now all under the one umbrella. 00:02:31.759 --> 00:02:43.840 So the Haven Kilmacomb does outreach both in the capacity that we do for people with addictions, drop-in centre, um, Mondays 9 till sorry, 11 till 2 on a Monday, every Monday. 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:52.479 And they have a number of hubs throughout the kind of surrounding Glasgow area, really, uh, and they're looking to build more. 00:02:52.639 --> 00:03:00.159 They also have an arm that goes into a worker who goes into schools and speaks to children in school about uh drug addiction. 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:14.319 So it's basically where we have a presence in the town and we're reaching out to people who are bound in addiction, for whom many people regard them as scum of the earth. 00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:20.800 Um, people talk about junkies, a term I abhor and wouldn't use. 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:25.039 Um because every one of these people is somebody else's son and daughter. 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:30.879 But essentially, we're an outreach showing Christ's love and acceptance to everybody that comes across our door. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:34.080 So we feed them, we get alongside them, we chat to them. 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:36.159 It's not a Bible bashing thing. 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:51.840 Um, but if people do want to explore um rehab in a residential sense, we can help support them with their applications to Christian rehabs, not just uh the haven itself, but other teen challenge and other rehab units throughout the the UK. 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:58.960 Hmm, and I'd love to hear in a moment or two uh you know how you've been drawn into this, Joan, and how it's evolved. 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:02.400 Uh but Helen, you know, you're you're here. 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:04.400 Well, tell us why you're here. 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:14.879 Well, uh my son, my oldest son, he was addiction most of his life, 30 years maybe. 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:20.959 He started off the drugs and then he went just more alcohol at the end. 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:34.319 And he was sacked for his job, which he never has been in his life, he's always worked worked hard, and they just had enough, he'd obviously been drinking at work. 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:41.839 And he'd be sitting down the river and Martin for the evening. 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:51.279 Martin Begley was the kind of out oversaw the outreach hubs, and we do street work as well, so the boys were out we come up around the streets with their leaflets, which I have here. 00:04:51.680 --> 00:04:53.839 And they came across Willie, didn't they? 00:04:54.160 --> 00:05:04.560 He was sitting down the river, and as he said, he didn't Martin I didn't know if Martin saw his brokenness or his drunkenness because it was he had both. 00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:12.720 And I wouldn't have liked to been in his mind that day because I'm sure he was in a bad place. 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:17.439 And he I he didn't even like himself at that time. 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:24.240 And he took him into the hub and he was the very first person that Joan put through. 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:24.560 Yeah. 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:37.600 Even within a fortnight she had him in and he is his graduation on Friday, and he's just a brand new person, so different. 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:44.879 He was always a nice guy, a really nice guy, but just the drink just got a hold on. 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:47.680 Um drugs, drink, everything. 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:55.120 He's really embraced it and he's uh he's actually an example now, isn't he? 00:05:55.360 --> 00:05:58.000 Yes, he's a kind of poster boy really for the having now, isn't it? 00:05:58.480 --> 00:05:58.560 Yeah. 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:03.439 He's well liked in work now as well, is he? 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:13.920 He's going to be working with them once he's finished, he's been approached to help because he's just he's got a nice way about him. 00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:18.879 So hopefully this is he's found what he's finally been looking for. 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:23.680 Which he's been looking for in drugs and drink and whatever else he was doing. 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:30.639 It wasn't he obviously wasn't satisfying him because he just kept moving on from one to another. 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:36.560 He used to excuse himself thinking, well, I work hard for it, I'll pay for it myself, I don't steal it. 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:39.279 It's my right to do this, yeah. 00:06:40.399 --> 00:06:45.040 But he really he's just a different guy altogether now. 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:47.360 He was as I say, he was always a nice guy. 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:49.839 Just You've got him back, really. 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:53.519 I couldn't thank them enough for what they've done for him. 00:06:55.040 --> 00:06:56.879 I still brought my full family back together. 00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:00.000 Because by the time he was gone away knew he was talking to him. 00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:01.120 Except for me. 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:01.839 Maybe hard. 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:03.199 Because obviously I'm in the middle. 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:08.879 It's like one saying, I'm not not today, I'm another thing, oh they don't care about me, you know. 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:20.000 You were I'm stuck in the middle all the time, sticking up for well, three kids, so obviously I've I love the three of them the same, so it's you don't want to hear any of them bad mouthing the other one. 00:07:21.040 --> 00:07:27.519 But I knew he had a problem, so and at the end I myself had had enough. 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:31.199 I just thought, how can you go on like this? 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:35.920 But it was him myself that seeked it out Wilma Martin. 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:42.079 I mean I didn't need to take him to the church, I didn't take him to the and he he was ready to go. 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:43.680 He'd reached that bottom. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:08:00.240 Alright, he said the day that he the night that the first night he spent in the in the haven said he did the best sleep he'd had in years because he knew he was going down a different path, a new road, a new way of life, and he's really embraced it. 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:08.720 He's I I I just can't hear I I can't even put any words how happy and bright he looks now and at peace. 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:16.319 I he really is and he's good with the boys that are in there and they all s they all care for him. 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:21.279 Even Roy the farm he even bought my week car. 00:08:21.439 --> 00:08:24.480 And I've really don't they all really like him so much. 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:31.680 So that makes me good me feel good that I've re a good boy, but he just went wrong for a while. 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:34.159 Yes, and that that's tremendously encouraging. 00:08:34.399 --> 00:08:55.279 For that for this story, you've got so many other stories where people bounce in and out of of uh of of rehab, of you know, and and I know you've been through so many times where you've helped people to go there and and they just they maybe survive a couple of days a week, yeah. 00:08:55.679 --> 00:09:07.440 Or or or or come back out and go back in, or Joan you the the perseverance and the determination that you have is uh from my from my viewpoint remarkable. 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:09.840 How have you come to be involved in this? 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:16.480 What what what what's what makes you tick, what gives you the desire and the determination to be involved in this work? 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:24.720 Well, I think originally um I have a heart for people that are broken like that. 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:30.879 Um fairness and justice is something that is high in my list of priorities. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:43.519 Um, but like most people, I think most families in the West of Scotland, I don't think there's any family that doesn't have somebody who's a heavy drinker, we used to say, um, but alcoholics. 00:09:43.679 --> 00:09:48.320 So I have alcoholics in both sides of my family, uh, from a mother and father. 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:55.919 And um my cousin, who was months older than me, who went through school together. 00:09:56.159 --> 00:09:57.440 Um, Jim. 00:09:57.679 --> 00:10:02.080 Uh Jim died at the age of 57 through alcohol abuse. 00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:06.799 And um we didn't know that he was alcoholic for a long, long time. 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:14.799 He married a friend of mine who nursed with me, and he approached me one uh day and said, You know, I'm having trouble with my marriage. 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:16.559 Can I come and stay with you? 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:19.759 Uh so he stayed with Alan and I for quite a few months. 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:22.799 Um, and you know where we used to see, we were quite rural. 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:39.919 But my cousin had had a he'd had an industrial accident and he walked with two crutches, but it didn't stop him walking two and a half miles down to Kilwinning to see a man about a dog on a daily basis, and it became apparent that he that he was a drinker, but his health just spiral down. 00:10:40.320 --> 00:11:04.879 And at one point um we were trying to take him to AA meetings and he was telling us that he was going, and AA is a fantastic fellowship, and for many people it works, but it just he wasn't hanging by his rope, and we were we were Jim's um safety net, and uh it got to the stage where we had to make a decision. 00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:09.039 I had to make a decision to make him homeless, and that was like making my brother homeless. 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:11.360 It absolutely broke my heart. 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:18.159 Um he did go into homeless unit for a while and then ended up in in um rented accommodation in East School Bride. 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:27.679 And Alan was very good at supporting him as well, so you know we kind of that was we worked together well as a team and and very supportive of one another. 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:29.440 But sadly, Jim passed. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:41.759 And um I was just talking with my brother about this yesterday, and he must have passed about I'm just thinking about 12 years ago, and I've gone to see him in hospital and he says, Oh Joan, I'm dying. 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:43.600 And you'll need you'll need to do my funeral. 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:48.399 And I says, Well, don't you dare die when I'm in holiday, which he did, which was quite inconsiderate of him. 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:52.320 But anyway, I came off the plane one day and literally did his his funeral the next. 00:11:52.559 --> 00:11:57.759 So, um, and I have I don't know who's going to be watching this, so I'm very careful about what I'm saying. 00:11:57.919 --> 00:12:02.559 So I've had I've other alcoholics in the family who have had sobriety and others who haven't. 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:06.480 Um, and uh so it's always a constant battle. 00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:23.440 But so I was drawn into it for that reason, and Alan and I got involved with Teen Challenge that Jerry and Andy McClellan had set up here, and we occasionally would help out with the outreach in Largs with my friend Amanda and Maurice Craig, who you you know well. 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:25.840 So it was always there. 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:51.679 Um, so that's how I got drawn into it initially, I would say, just personal experience, and I think it's fair to say all of our volunteers have some experience with addiction at various levels, and that that's that's good, that's a good place to be because there's absolutely no judgment comes from anyone on our our team with anyone that walks across that door. 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:53.120 That's great. 00:12:53.360 --> 00:13:08.000 And a long time ago at Fullerton we did a survey across our parish patch, and we found out that there was a huge fear of drugs and alcohol and impact in many families, people's lives. 00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:11.600 And it was one of the things that we we felt drawn to get involved with. 00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:19.120 Particularly headed up uh, you know, the the teen challenge bus coming from Port Glasgow and helping. 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:45.279 We had the homeless hostel next door, and quite a few people came through that and into you know, we came in touch with folk uh in in need in that way, and of course we grub and gospel uh on Friday nights, and there was this period of fallow where we we didn't have anything happening, we we had to let go of stuff, and it's you know from my eye, it's it's wonderful to see you, Joan, and others taking this up again. 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:51.840 Um, but it's also a part of a a wide uh recovery community now in North Ayrshire. 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:56.879 I mean it's tragic that that it's required, and preventative medicine is hugely important. 00:13:57.519 --> 00:14:05.759 But tell us a wee bit about the the the way you you connect with and are involved with with the recovery community in North Ayrshire. 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:17.679 Yeah, well we we're we're very lucky actually, partly because of the work that Jerry and Andy did, and we're blessed that Jerry still volunteers with us, although um she was a wee bit reluctant at first. 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:27.519 But I'm a great believer in just looking people in the eye and asking them to volunteer and testify very always in sales. 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:36.000 Um but uh so so they had some connection with people who'd come through recovery, um, people like Charles Kingsman, etc. 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:44.559 Alan has a link there as well because Alan goes down to broken chains every so often and also plays uh for um House of Prayer. 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:55.519 In fact, Stuart, I don't know I could come in my head, but Stuart and Peter were playing um the other week uh with Alan at the House of Prayer, it was their third year anniversary, so we have links there. 00:14:55.919 --> 00:15:08.960 Um and uh but because you're involved, you kind of get along alongside people, and of course, we had Derek Moore with um Freedom Fighters also met, so there's a link, and you get a lot you get to know people. 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:13.600 Um, Alan and I also um go up to the Haven once a month. 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:21.600 We were up last week, and Alan Alan uh plays music, I share the word, but I think the home baking is usually more attractive than anything else. 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:36.960 So we have links, and through Brian and Sean Byrne, we have people within our uh church family who are in actively involved and are in paid work um within the the rehab unit uh and rehab services. 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:46.240 But bearing in mind when Jerry and Andy set up the Teen Challenge arm down here, there was no support whatsoever. 00:15:46.639 --> 00:16:00.000 And um and now you have the North Ayrshire Drugs and Alcohol Partnership, uh, and we received funding in the past from Roth Ayrshire for what we were doing with Teen Challenge, so there were always links, there were always links there. 00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:25.679 And um so even when we had that fallow period, I'm not sure whether you're aware, when we just when COVID came and post even when we were allowed out with COVID, but during that time I was still um supporting people with their applications to um rehab units, and maybe Charles would phone me or somebody else would get in touch with me and say, Could you see this person? 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:27.279 Could you maybe help them fill the form? 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:54.080 And so that was always ongoing, and as we were coming further and further out of COVID, um I just felt there was just such such a demand um for certainly a Christian outreach, because there's lots of other outreaches there in that this kind of format in Irvine, because Charles is based very much down in Ayr and Derek's up in Nordrossen now. 00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:56.720 So there was a bit of a kind of hiatus for us. 00:16:57.200 --> 00:17:10.160 Um, and bearing in mind when you look at the stats, that Ayrshire, believe it or not, is second only to Glasgow in the whole of Scotland for death due to drugs and alcohol. 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:16.799 We've got the highest death rate due to drugs and alcohol in in Ayrshire next to Glasgow, which is astounding. 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:33.359 Um so so that that then made me look, go back to it was still loosely teen challenge at that point, um, and approach them to say, look, I think we really need to do, we really need to revisit this. 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:49.759 And at that point, the two were coming together, it was all coming under the Haven's umbrella, and the model that they wanted was the model that we are using now for a number of reasons, um, and that seems to be that seems to be working, which is a close partnership, yeah. 00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:56.160 Yeah, so they have folk that are coming to work with us and our volunteers on a Monday. 00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:59.200 Yeah, and uh they come down, someone from the Haven comes down. 00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:16.400 Well, we there's someone replaced Martin Begley, Martin's gone on to be the pastor of Hope Hall, uh Evangelical Church in Paisley, and Paul Devine, who is a graduate from the Haven, has now taken over his role, and Stuart Patterson, whom I think you know has another role that's been created above that level. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:26.880 Um so there's lots of people that are are are helping out, and usually Paul comes down with two boys now on Monday, and sometimes well they come out in the streets as well as well as some of us. 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:31.599 So yeah, and it's it's it's grown in in quite considerable way. 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:43.920 Uh the your lunch times, your your gather, you know, there's folk you're clearly connecting with folk in the street, but word has got round as well that that this is where it's happening, and and everybody's welcome. 00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:45.759 Yeah, absolutely, and we're blessed. 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:56.079 Roy Lees, who was the originator of um Team Challenge, uh Strathclyde, him and his wife Mary, um Roy uh is quite a character, isn't he? 00:18:56.640 --> 00:19:00.720 And and Roy has an arrangement with Marks and Spencer's. 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:02.960 So it's not just any old food we have, is it? 00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:04.319 It's Marks and Spencer's food we have. 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:12.799 So we get that on a Monday, and um we use some of that and we we buy milk and bread, and we usually do toasties. 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:14.240 Jerry's toasty maker. 00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:19.519 Don't cross the Queen of Toasties, no, no, so uh Jerry takes a great pride in that. 00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:22.720 So um, yeah, so we give them we give them food and drink. 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:26.880 We had a Christmas party last year, and we've been gone for just over a year. 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:31.039 Um 9th of June we started, so we'd a wee birthday party for that. 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:33.839 That's so um, and I've made a promise. 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:40.400 The guys are very good at helping out, I've made a promise that we will be open every week. 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:44.400 And we were open between Christmas and New Year, and we were really busy. 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:50.319 Um, so if Christmas happens to land on a Monday, we'll have another day where we'll we'll meet up with them. 00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:56.240 But we went all through the the weeks when the car park was getting um resurfaced and everything. 00:19:56.319 --> 00:20:00.160 So because once you're there, you don't want to withdraw that. 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:02.880 And it's important people that know that we are there. 00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:14.799 That just means if you're shut up, yeah, one day they'll not come back, and it could be that day that they needed just somebody to listen to or just even a kind word. 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:20.160 Yeah, real consistency, and you've got a gift of baking, Helen, don't you? 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:21.599 I'm a feeder. 00:20:23.920 --> 00:20:26.799 Yes, it's my way of giving back. 00:20:27.359 --> 00:20:29.599 It's I enjoy doing it. 00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:33.519 I don't eat cakes myself, but I love baking. 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:39.440 And I get as much enjoyment making it and taking it and watching other people eating it. 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:42.160 So it's that gives me a boost as well. 00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:44.240 And it's my way of gaining back. 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:45.599 It's lovely. 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:54.559 If I if I don't know how that how else I could do it getting back, apart from my time and uh and my bacon. 00:20:56.400 --> 00:20:56.960 Which does it well. 00:20:57.200 --> 00:20:58.559 It would be very well. 00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:02.000 But our faces would be like if I didn't turn up my bacon. 00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:05.359 We should have brought some this morning because I know Stuart likes a few cakes, don't you? 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:07.119 They're all good at that. 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:09.519 Already took them down before we come up. 00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:11.279 Yeah, come down to the hall afterwards. 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:16.400 And and faith's become even more real for you, Helen, is it? 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:16.960 Uh-huh. 00:21:17.279 --> 00:21:26.079 I uh we're always church goes when we're young, but I I don't know, maybe Sundays just for a dead it'd be just chilled. 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:32.160 Never thought about going to church, but then I always let Drake on I was brought up. 00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:40.240 And I first went to the connections when William had to go because it was passing. 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:41.680 And I was all dressed. 00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:45.039 I realised we were all in jeans. 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:50.079 I was sent to him before we went, you need to smack me a slap. 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.759 He goes, Mum, I'm fine, I'm fine. 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:56.160 I dump on it, I was all dressed up, the hair all done, like walks on. 00:21:56.400 --> 00:22:01.759 I goes, um I was odd when it You didn't have a hat on, so that was a blessing. 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:22.079 Well, I nearly nearly I could fun when I read off and I went in and I just felt it was so warm, the the the people were smiling and it was just sort of different experience for I'm not just saying about the Draco church, I mean any church. 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:33.279 We could just remember we're all dressed up in the Sunday and we were Sunday based and then you got stripped to that and I was put away to next Sunday and things like that. 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:36.160 It wasn't like that, the connec the connection. 00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:39.279 It was more I don't know, happy happy. 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:45.440 And I'd I really I would actually miss it if I didn't I'll go every Sunday. 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:47.119 And you came to the Alpha course. 00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:47.680 Yes. 00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:48.960 It was big. 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:50.319 Yeah. 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:53.359 I mean there are folk who who dress up and it's okay if you dress up. 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:57.039 And I I know that meaning is I did I just it's relaxed, be yourself. 00:22:57.359 --> 00:23:02.319 I just was trying to remember what it was like when I went to church before thing. 00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:03.359 It's a bit more stiff. 00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:05.920 And it wasn't, I was never there against going to the church or any. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:08.240 I just I just never really thought about it. 00:23:09.440 --> 00:23:13.839 And as I say now, if I wasn't a there in this, I'd really miss it. 00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:30.160 And I look forward to a Monday and it it just heart lifting again, it it just makes you feel yourself kind of like because you think about well it's just a kind word sometimes, that's all they need. 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:36.960 I mean my son wasn't he dragged up or anything like that, didn't he need to go into what he was doing? 00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:49.200 But some people have been dragged up and dragged into things and you just have to try and help them see that there is better out there, nice people. 00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:52.640 I think I think Helen makes a good point. 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:53.839 I mean, I think it's difficult. 00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:56.799 Um in Will William's case he had a good upbringing. 00:23:57.119 --> 00:24:12.960 It's not always people, but it wasn't it's not always people that get get bound in addiction who have had bad um upbrings and difficult circumstances or you know, these adverse childhood experiences that that people talk about. 00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:21.200 Sometimes they're they just get in with a crowd and they start, you know, um experimenting and before you know where they are it has a real hook on them. 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:32.160 Um but uh we we were lucky that William we would only been open two months when William was the first one to go up to the Haven and has stayed the course. 00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:41.279 Um What I would say about the Haven is they don't clean you up and then throw you out. 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:51.599 They stop your addiction well, they they help you get over your addiction, whatever you're and then they they talk through it and they build them back up. 00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:52.079 Yeah. 00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:59.440 They don't just throw like a recourse of Yeah, the aftercare, the ongoing um support is is tremendous. 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:01.920 And they all know what it's been like to be there. 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:02.160 Yeah. 00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:08.799 So they can all talk about it as if I I know it's no easy, like things like that. 00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:15.119 Like even just saying to them, I know it's no easy, but you've got the rest of your life in front of you. 00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:19.920 Some I mean some of these are just young boys, they're just they're babies. 00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:33.759 But but the guys up there that they've all walked the walk, most the vast majority of the support workers and the key staff up there, and Brian Fisher, of course, is Brian now does uh a lot more with kind of the legal and care commissioning type of things. 00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:36.319 But he was the admissions officer for a long time. 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:43.039 It's been taken over by two other people, and the grounding that they get in Christianity up there is second to none. 00:25:43.119 --> 00:25:49.759 Andy Cameron's another beautiful place preacher, and it's a lovely place, it's a lovely place to be. 00:25:49.839 --> 00:25:57.119 Um, our second person to go up left after 12 weeks, so it's not all it's not all fairy tale and it doesn't work for them all. 00:25:57.359 --> 00:26:02.400 And uh, I was on holiday, and and uh Thomas phoned me back and said, Oh, I made a mistake, Joan. 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:03.119 This was me. 00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:11.440 But in November came out after 12 weeks, I've made a mistake, and I was on holiday, and I said, Well, you need to phone them yourself, but I'll we'll support you getting back in. 00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:17.440 And he's back in, and kind of I would say the penny has dropped for him. 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:20.160 Um, he's been touched by the spirit. 00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:36.319 Um, and we saw him last week, but we'll just we'd been up with someone who's going in on Wednesday, we'll get someone going in on Wednesday, and when I was up last week, I came back home and I said to Alan, you know, Thomas is I said, I was trying to put uh my finger on it, but I says, Thomas is actually at peace. 00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:52.720 There was a peace about him because he was always one of these, you know, quite kind of on on edge kind of guy, and absolutely at peace, and and it's an absolute privilege to see the transformation in guys that come in and you know to see them coming through the whole system. 00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:54.400 It's amazing. 00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:57.680 But yeah, we're we're very lucky. 00:26:57.920 --> 00:27:02.799 But we've always got lots that you said about quite keeping in touch with other other agencies. 00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:14.240 We have a lot of um we have a lot of uh leaflets for other agencies like Freedom Fighters and uh Candace's uh Bridge to Freedom on a Monday night. 00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:19.759 And we've actually believe it or not, we've had um referrals from the job club. 00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:24.240 Um because when we go out with these leaflets, that's the leaflets that we go out with. 00:27:24.319 --> 00:27:31.680 Um and if anybody in UICS is uh watching this, they can come and get some office and pass them around as they wish. 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:52.480 But we go out in the streets, we've put out thousands of these, we go to shops where a lot of our service users would go, like vape shops, cash converters, uh we have uh hairdressers, we've never once had anyone refuse to take those, so they are scattered all over the place, um, which is great. 00:27:53.039 --> 00:27:57.119 And there's a hub phone, yeah, and there's there's there's a walk today, isn't there? 00:27:57.200 --> 00:27:58.880 For people with Candace. 00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:01.680 Candace is on a Monday night, and that's talking at all. 00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:12.319 Um so yeah, we've we've got all of these links, and we're we're we're really lucky that um we're able to um refer people over in Harper as well. 00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:13.599 That's another great agency. 00:28:13.759 --> 00:28:21.519 So and as we come to a head, a close the story of Willie and Martin. 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:24.240 Martin going out is is a lovely example, you know. 00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:30.480 It's it's like the it's like the shepherd going out to to to seek out the the the one of the night. 00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:38.720 Yeah, connect at the right time and and and uh home rejoicing in the long run, yeah. 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:40.400 It's lovely, it's lovely. 00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:45.119 And the interesting thing is the chap that's gone in on Wednesday, it was exactly the same situation. 00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:45.680 Yes. 00:28:46.240 --> 00:28:58.960 In the streets, and uh and the boys were out, and I think it was David, David English is working with us as well, and and spoke to him, and he's been coming and I get three or four I get three or four text a day from him. 00:28:59.039 --> 00:29:00.319 I'm really looking forward to that. 00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:05.359 So his favourite, I've never met so much kindness people in my life. 00:29:05.839 --> 00:29:08.799 Lovely, just it's the love of God, isn't it? 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:09.599 It's the love of God. 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:10.640 What would Jesus do? 00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:12.400 That's the you know, how would he treat them? 00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:22.240 And and you know, as I say, we don't need to we just need to show them love through our words and our actions and our acceptance of people, um, and and that's that's what we do, isn't it? 00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:24.880 Yeah, yeah, and we're blessed to have Helen on board now. 00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:27.279 Yeah, it's fantastic. 00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:32.400 Well don't come within Stuart, don't come too close to me, you might get roped in as well. 00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:34.000 That's right. 00:29:34.079 --> 00:29:38.559 If folks want to join in, um come along on a Monday, come and find out what's up, what's happening. 00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:48.880 We get lot we get lots of visitors, and you know, we've even got a chap who comes along now who um was referred to as from Woodlands View. 00:29:49.279 --> 00:29:52.799 So it's quite far, it's remarkably far reaching. 00:29:52.960 --> 00:29:54.960 Sometimes we wonder how people hear, but yeah. 00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:56.160 Yeah, it's fantastic. 00:29:56.319 --> 00:30:00.720 Well, thanks so much for coming and sharing, and uh it's a privilege, isn't it? 00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:02.480 Blessings into and see you. 00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:05.519 Yeah, and thanks for listening, folks. 00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:14.319 Thanks for tuning in and uh make sure you you maybe go back to find out other other podcasts that we've had and look out for the next ones. 00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:15.359 Thanks so much. 00:30:15.599 --> 00:30:16.960 Thank you, thank you.