ReNew: The Believe in People Podcast: Recent Episodes
Matthew Butler
ReNew: The Believe in People Podcast explores addiction and recovery in the city of Hull. ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull. The service provides an end-to-end facility and support for adults within the city who may have alcohol or drug issue or who are a family member/significant other of those with a drug and/or alcohol issue. ReNew offers: Brief help to give information, advice and choices Structured support to become substance free; including medical interventions if appropriate A wide range of group work optionsHelp with wider issues (housing, benefits, training, employment, family, social & health needs)Aftercare and support to create a new substance free life ReNew, in partnership with The Forward Trust, also provide a dedicated independent service for family members and friends of people who are worried about their loved ones’ substance use. Those close to someone having problems with drugs and alcohol can often experience difficulties themselves and the family service offers a safe and relaxed environment to discuss personal well-being, either alongside others in similar circumstance, or in an individual, confidential appointment. ReNew are located at: Trafalgar House, 41-45 Beverley Road, Hull, HU3 1XHGipsyville Action Centre, 728-730 Hessle Road, Hull, HU4 6JANorth Point Shopping Centre, 74 Goodhart Road, Bransholme, Hull, HU7 4EFReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you. If you're worried about something, please contact us via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013. For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.You can visit the website at: https://changegrowlive.org/hull-renew
Recorded live at The Forward Trust’s National Unity Day, former England and Arsenal captain Tony Adams joins Believe in People to reflect on alcohol addiction, Euro ’96 and almost 30 years in recovery.
Tony takes us behind the public success to reveal the reality of his addiction - from blackouts and a 44-day drinking bender to the moment he finally surrendered on 16 August 1996. He explores 12-step recovery, grief and stigma, and explains why, despite everything he achieved on the football pitch, recovery remains the greatest medal he has ever won.
And we put the ultimate question to Tony: what if Gareth Southgate had scored that penalty? Could England winning Euro ’96 have changed the course of his addiction?
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this special live edition of Believe in People, we're celebrating a podcast first.
For the very first time, we took the podcast to the stage, recording live in front of more than 500 audience members at the DDN Conference, one of the UK's largest events dedicated to drugs, alcohol and recovery.
Joining us for her third appearance on Believe in People, Michelle Heaton reflects on more than five years of recovery from alcohol and cocaine addiction. She speaks openly about the progression of addiction, the impact of early surgical menopause, motherhood, shame, treatment, fellowship, and rebuilding life in recovery. Michelle also shares the moment that changed everything, how peer support helped save her life, and why recovery is about far more than simply stopping drinking or using drugs.
Following the live interview, we've also included the audience Q&A, where audience members put their own questions to Michelle, leading to honest, emotional and thought-provoking discussions about recovery, stigma, parenting, menopause and hope.
Whether you're in recovery yourself, supporting a loved one, working in health and social care, or simply interested in real stories of change, we hope you enjoy this special live episode.
Topics that Matt and Michelle discuss incldue:
- pop fame versus what addiction looks like in real life
- “food noise”, dieting, stimulants and the long build-up of addictive behaviour
- early surgical menopause, health scares and the slide into alcohol dependence and cocaine addiction
- why hospital stays and getting caught do not stop compulsive use
- punishment, self-hate and feeling at peace with dying
- the moment visible recovery makes help feel possible
- letting go of the fantasy of drinking normally
- recovery friendships, separating your life from your fellowship, learning to say no
- women’s stigma, motherhood shame and fear of losing children
- rehab and detox versus long-term support in AA and CA
- menopause, hormones, HRT access and being misdiagnosed
- triggers and finding joy without substances
Search terms: addiction recovery podcast UK, Michelle Heaton podcast, alcohol addiction recovery, cocaine addiction recovery, women in recovery, lived experience stories, peer support, trauma and recovery, recovery community, substance misuse.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this episode of Believe in People, Lewis Raymond Taylorshares the extraordinary story of how he went from addiction, violence and repeated prison sentences to becoming the founder of a global coaching business that has trained more than 15,000 coaches across 87 countries.
Lewis opens up about childhood trauma, addiction, prison, violence, personal responsibility and the moments that forced him to completely rebuild his identity. Together, we explore why addiction is often an attempted solution to deeper pain, what genuine transformation looks like, and whether people can truly change.
The conversation also explores the ideas behind Lewis's new book, UNLIMITED. Rather than offering another self-help theory, the book presents principles forged through lived experience and refined over years of coaching thousands of people around the world. We discuss the importance of confronting your past, rewriting the story you tell yourself, discovering purpose, making fear your ally, embracing radical authenticity, taking imperfect action, breaking destructive habits, creating value through service, overcoming setbacks, and unlocking the potential that already exists within you.
Whether you're rebuilding after addiction, overcoming trauma, navigating mental health challenges or simply looking to create lasting change, this episode is packed with practical insight and honest reflection.
In this episode we discuss:
• Childhood trauma and adversity
• Addiction, crime and prison
• Recovery and personal responsibility
• Identity transformation
• Building purpose after rock bottom
• Fear, resilience and authentic living
• Breaking destructive habits
• Entrepreneurship and success after prison
• The philosophy behind UNLIMITED
• Psychopathy, leadership and human behaviour
If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to check out UNLIMITED by Lewis Raymond Taylor - a practical guide to taking ownership of your life, turning adversity into strength, and becoming the person you're capable of being.
You can get your copy here: unlimitedbook.co.uk
Search terms: addiction recovery podcast UK, Lewis Raymond Taylor, UNLIMITED book, prison rehabilitation, trauma recovery, personal responsibility, psychopathy, mental health, entrepreneurship, lived experience, peer support, substance misuse.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
The TikTok sensation known to millions as "Sober Queen" joins us on Believe in People.
Carole Watson's story is unlike anything we've featured before. Her addiction began at just ten years old and continued for more than 45 years through drugs, alcohol, crime, prison, abusive relationships, health scares and repeated brushes with death.
Known online for her brutally honest recovery content, humour and storytelling, Carole has built a huge following on TikTok as @carolebosswatson, inspiring people across the recovery community with her no-nonsense approach to sobriety.
In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore childhood trauma, domestic abuse, crack cocaine, prison life, organised crime, self-worth, motherhood, recovery and the moments that finally led Carole to choose a different life.
There is simply too much life to fit into a single episode description. From East End gangsters to prison wings, from addiction to TikTok fame, Carole's journey is raw, shocking, funny and ultimately full of hope.
In this episode:
- Addiction beginning at age ten
- Crime, prison and crack cocaine
- Domestic abuse and trauma
- Health scares and rock-bottom moments
- Recovery, self-worth and accountability
- TikTok fame and building a recovery community
- Practical advice for staying sober
Now approaching two years sober, Carol's story proves that no matter how long addiction has been part of your life, recovery is always possible.
Search terms: addiction recovery podcast UK, lived experience stories, peer support, trauma and recovery, prison recovery, crack cocaine recovery, TikTok recovery community, women in recovery, Believe in People podcast.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this episode of Believe in People, Kaitlin Reeve, known online as Sober As A Mother Focused, joins us to discuss motherhood, addiction recovery, trauma, shame, and the unique barriers women face when seeking support.
Kaitlin shares her deeply personal journey from childhood trauma and early substance use to cocaine addiction, cannabis dependency, and ultimately long-term recovery. We explore the fear many mothers experience around disclosing addiction, concerns about social services involvement, the stigma placed on women compared to men, and why so many mums remain trapped in addiction for longer than necessary.
The conversation examines the reality of parenting while in active addiction, the challenge of rebuilding relationships with children, and the emotional work required to repair trust. Kaitlin speaks openly about guilt, shame, self-forgiveness, and how recovery transformed not only her relationship with substances but also her role as a mother.
We also discuss 12-step recovery, the importance of safe spaces where women can be honest without fear of judgement, and the misconceptions surrounding addiction, relapse, cravings, and recovery. Kaitlin offers a powerful perspective on why addiction is often hidden in plain sight and why compassion, understanding, and lived experience must play a greater role in supporting mothers seeking help.
This episode offers practical insight for people in recovery, family members, frontline practitioners, and anyone interested in real stories of change. It is a conversation about stigma, secrecy, resilience, and what it takes to choose recovery when everything feels at risk.
Topics Covered
- Motherhood and addiction
- Fear of losing children when asking for help
- Childhood trauma and adverse experiences
- Cocaine addiction recovery
- Cannabis dependency
- Women and recovery
- Parenting in sobriety
- Shame, guilt and self-forgiveness
- 12-step recovery
- Stigma and substance misuse
- Lived experience and recovery advocacy
Resources
📱 Instagram: @soberasamotherfocused
About Kaitlin Reeve
Kaitlin Reeve is the creator of Sober As A Mother Focused, an online platform dedicated to raising awareness around addiction, recovery, motherhood, and mental health. Through honest storytelling and lived experience, she shares the realities of recovery as a parent and advocates for safer, more compassionate support for women affected by substance use.
With more than 17,000 followers online and over three years of continuous sobriety, Kaitlin uses her platform to challenge stigma, offer hope, and encourage honest conversations about addiction and recovery. She is currently training as an addiction therapist and continues to support others through education, advocacy, and lived experience.
Search Terms
addiction recovery podcast UK, motherhood and addiction, mums in recovery, women and substance misuse, cocaine recovery, cannabis addiction recovery, trauma and recovery, lived experience stories, peer support, Believe in People podcast
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this special episode of Believe in People: EXTRA, recorded on the road at the British Podcast Show in London, we sit down with broadcaster Richard Bacon for an honest conversation about alcohol addiction, cocaine use, stigma, and what it means to live with risk while trying to build a stable life.
Richard traces the story back through family history, from a grandfather who died of alcoholism to a mother he believes is addicted but does not recognise it, and he reflects on the role of genetics in substance use. He describes how drink and drugs in his late teens felt like they “flipped a switch”, and why that matters when you are trying to make sense of cravings, habit, and shame without reducing everything to willpower.
We also talk about public consequences and recovery support. Richard revisits being publicly sacked from Blue Peter after cocaine use, his experience of trying Alcoholics Anonymous, and why it did not quite fit despite his respect for it. From there, the conversation moves into harm reduction: drinking less, using medication intended to blunt alcohol’s impact on the brain, taking vitamins and mineral supplements, and staying alert to the real dangers of heavy drinking, including accidents and long-term brain health.
Richard is now the founder of Yes Yes Media, a format and new media company backed by Elisabeth Murdoch and Jane Featherstone’s SISTER, alongside producer Arthur Essebag’s Satisfaction Group. The company develops original entertainment formats across television, digital media, gaming and interactive technology, with collaborators including Courteney Cox, Johnny McDaid and Savan Kotecha. Richard describes the company’s vision as creating entertainment designed for the “TikTok era”, where audiences can interact with stories across multiple devices and platforms.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this episode of Believe in People, playwright Ed Edwards joins us to discuss The Political History of Smack and Crack - his award-winning play exploring addiction, recovery, Thatcherism, political unrest, and Britain’s heroin epidemic.
Drawing on his own experiences of addiction, prison, relapse, and long-term recovery, Ed reflects on stigma, Narcotics Anonymous, consumer culture, creativity, and the human realities behind substance use. Ed is brutally honest about relapse, including the “relapse before the relapse” signs like pulling back from meetings and turning irritation into isolation.
We also explore why Narcotics Anonymous can feel like a higher power even if you are an atheist, and how belonging acts as a real-world protective factor in a consumer culture that competes for our attention.
This episode explores addiction recovery, trauma, peer support, mental health, politics, and the lived experiences that shaped a generation.
Links & Resources
🎭 Most Wanted
Most Wanted
🎟️ The Political History of Smack and Crack
The Political History of Smack and Crack
📚 Book Referenced In The Episode
The Politics of Heroin: CIA Complicity in the Global Drug Trade — Alfred W. McCoy
The Politics of Heroin by Alfred W. McCoy
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
Melissa Love joins Believe in People to share how working as a nurse in addiction services challenged her own hidden fears, internalised stigma and understanding of dependency. Through personal reflections on her brother’s addiction, family trauma and her father’s rejection, Melissa explores how these experiences reshaped her view of recovery, compassion and what real care looks like.
This episode explores addiction recovery, trauma, stigma in healthcare, family dynamics, mental health and the importance of dignity-led, non-judgemental support. Melissa discusses fear, bias, grief, powerlessness, emotional silence and the transformative power of human connection in recovery.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this episode of Believe in People, The Secret Drug Addict joins us to discuss anonymous recovery, addiction stigma, and the reality of long-term sobriety. We explore themes of addiction recovery, trauma, peer support, mental health, and the lived experiences that shaped their journey.
This conversation challenges assumptions about addiction and visibility. We explore why anonymity can be a form of protection rather than shame, and how removing identity allows the message of recovery to stand on its own.
We discuss the growing influence of social media in recovery spaces, including dopamine-driven algorithms, performative vulnerability, and the pressure to share pain publicly. The Secret Drug Addict reflects on grief, validation, and how easily recovery can become something that is performed rather than lived. There is a strong focus on ego, both in addiction and recovery, and the importance of staying grounded.
The Secret Drug Addict shares the reality of early recovery, including insomnia, anger, anxiety, and emotional instability, alongside the long-term perspective of nearly two decades sober. The conversation closes with reflections on humility, living one day at a time, and writing a recovery book without chasing validation, sales, or recognition.
Link to book: Diary of a Secret Drug Addict
This episode offers practical insight for people in recovery, family members, frontline practitioners, and anyone interested in real stories of change.
Search terms: addiction recovery podcast UK, anonymous recovery, addiction stigma, social media and addiction, dopamine and addiction, peer support, trauma and recovery, substance misuse, Believe in People podcast
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma, Kieran McCartney joins us to discuss cocaine use, ADHD, grief, and recovery.
Best known for his "win or walk" deal with Lord Sugar on the BBC show, The Apprentice, Kieran opens up about the pressures behind success, the loss of his father, and how that led to increased cocaine use.
We explore the normalisation of cocaine culture in the UK, the link between alcohol and stimulant use, and how substances can become tools for coping with trauma and emotional pain.
Kieran shares insight into how his recent ADHD diagnosis shaped his experience of addiction, and why he has chosen a natural recovery route over medication.
This episode covers the turning point where use stopped being enjoyable, the role of therapy in processing grief, and the importance of recognising the root causes behind addiction. Kieran also reflects on business culture, identity, and the reality of recovery in environments where substance use is common.
This episode offers practical insight for people in recovery, family members, frontline practitioners, and anyone interested in real stories of change.
Search terms: addiction recovery podcast UK, cocaine addiction UK, ADHD and addiction, grief and substance misuse, lived experience stories, peer support, trauma and recovery, the apprentice, kieran mccartney
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
This short episode of Believe in People EXTRA features a short focused clip from our conversation with Dr Caroline Copeland
Dr Copeland is a Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology & Toxicology at King’s College London, and the Director of the National Programme on Substance Use Mortality. Today she explores ketamine use, polydrug risks, drug adulteration, and the growing dangers within today’s drug supply.
Dr Copeland will be joining Believe in People for a full-length episode in the coming weeks.
believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
She had the “perfect” life on paper and still didn’t want to wake up.
In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma, Cara Cox joins us to discuss trauma, addiction, repeated relapse, and long-term recovery. We explore how childhood loss, family alcoholism, emotional instability, and internal loneliness shaped her relationship with substances from an early age.
Cara speaks openly about drinking to blackout as a teenager, using cannabis and ketamine, and later progressing into heroin and crack use. She reflects on the devastating impact of her mum’s alcoholism and suicide, the instability of moving between schools as a child, and how substances became both escapism and a way to feel confident, connected, and temporarily at peace.
This episode also examines the realities of ketamine addiction, including physical harm, rehab admissions, near-death experiences, psychiatric units, and the mental health crash that often comes when substances are removed. Cara shares what changed after years of relapse, how connection and fellowship helped her recover, and why creative recovery, peer support, and lived experience now shape her work through Chase Recovery and The Detox Factor.
This episode offers practical insight for people in recovery, family members, frontline practitioners, and anyone interested in real stories of change.
Search terms: addiction recovery podcast UK, ketamine addiction recovery, trauma and addiction, lived experience stories, relapse and recovery, peer support, substance misuse, Believe in People podcast.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this special episode of Believe in People: EXTRA, we present a unique collaboration with Apple Music and the Radio Academy Award-winning podcast Classical Connections, hosted by world-renowned pianist and composer Alexis Ffrench.
Originally broadcast as part of the celebrated 60-Second Sonata segment, Alexis invited host Matthew Butler to share a deeply personal reflection on trauma, addiction and stigma. In response, Alexis composed an original piano piece that can be heard at the end of this mini episode - a bespoke composition capturing the emotional weight, hope, and humanity within Butler’s story and why non-judgemental listening remains one of the most powerful tools in recovery.
In an extraordinary gesture of support for the recovery community, Apple Music has donated both the composition “Believe” and the full interview audio for wider public use - helping bring conversations about stigma, compassion, and addiction recovery to new audiences.
Listen to the full conversation with Alexis and Matt here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4qpy20dulem9zFfDc6R1Fh
believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma, Neil Firbank joins us to discuss heroin addiction recovery and how connection and purpose can transform lives.
We explore themes of addiction recovery, trauma, peer support, mental health, and the lived experiences that shaped Neil’s journey - from homelessness, injecting and suicidal thoughts, to treatment, group work, and building what became the National Recovery Games.
This episode offers practical insight for people in recovery, family members, frontline practitioners, and anyone interested in real stories of change.
Search terms: addiction recovery podcast UK, lived experience stories, peer support, trauma and recovery, substance misuse.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
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Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this episode of Believe in People Extra, Bea Wood joins us to challenge one of the most common myths about Tourette’s - that it is simply about swearing.
Bea explains the difference between coprolalia and the more common motor and vocal tics that shape everyday life and the need for constant safety awareness.
The conversation explores intrusive thoughts and urges, why suppressing tics can make them worse, and how anxiety and social context can intensify symptoms.
We also examine the emotional toll of stigma, including the distress of taboo or racial tics, and the difference between laughing with someone and laughing at them.
Bea reflects on how media portrayals and selective editing can reinforce misunderstanding, while highlighting practical steps that communities can take to offer meaningful support.
This episode offers practical insight for people living with Tourette’s, family members, frontline practitioners, and anyone seeking to better understand the neurological reality behind the condition.
You can listen to the full episode here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5MpnmlSImp2ebYTkUXdVCb?si=F3YszPa2RLiMt9sbRnDx3g
believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
Finley joins Believe in People to share his lived experience of ketamine addiction and recovery, and how a substance that first felt functional and harmless became physically and psychologically destructive.
We explore how early use of cannabis and cocaine progressed into ketamine, why it can feel controlled at first, and how denial allows harm to escalate unnoticed. Finley explains ketamine bladder in clear, practical terms, the impact on family and identity, and the turning point that forced change.
This is a grounded conversation about stigma, youth culture and what real recovery requires beyond detox.
believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra #ketamine
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
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Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
This episode of Believe in People Extra explores one of the most debated ideas in addiction: being recovered rather than simply in recovery.
Young Lee unpacks the difference between cured and recovered, explaining the “twist of the mind” that precedes relapse and why the real powerlessness isn’t the first drink - it’s the thought that comes before it. Using a simple Terminator analogy, he describes how addiction doesn’t say “I might be back” - it says “I’ll be back.”
Young also reflects on becoming unrecovered, the small daily shifts that lead someone back toward relapse, and why emotional sobriety - not just abstinence - is the foundation of lasting freedom.
This episode is for anyone questioning their recovery, currently struggling, or working to understand the psychology behind addiction beyond the substance itself.
Listen to the full conversation with Young Lee here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/73A5jN7eetBSMQ45FfJow3
believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
Lucy Rocca joins Believe in People to share her candid story of alcohol misuse, trauma, and recovery, and the creation of Soberistas, one of the earliest online sobriety communities for women.
Lucy takes us back to the 1990s, the rave scene, early drug use, and the beginnings of binge drinking that quickly became unsafe. She explains how alcohol escalated in adulthood, how motherhood and “outward stability” can hide the reality of harmful drinking, and why shame keeps so many people silent.
A key part of this conversation is trauma. Lucy describes living with post-traumatic stress disorder for years without recognising it, and how therapy, including eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing, helped her process what happened and rebuild her life.
We also talk about “grey area drinking”, the gap between “social drinking” and physical dependence, and why so many people feel they are “not bad enough” to seek support until crisis hits. Lucy explains how Soberistas became a confidential, judgement-free space for women who want to change their relationship with alcohol, and why real connection matters more than ever in a world that is increasingly digital.
In this episode, we discuss
- Binge drinking, alcohol culture, and having “no off switch”
- The rave era, early drug use, and how alcohol became normalised
- Motherhood, emotional impact, and the hidden harms of drinking
- Crisis, hospitalisation, and the moment denial ended
- Trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and why it can go unrecognised
- Therapy, including eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing
- “Grey area drinking” and why people feel “not bad enough” for help
- Building Soberistas and why community reduces shame
- How sobriety changes relationships, identity, and self-respect
- The importance of real human connection alongside online support
Links and resources
- Soberistas: https://soberistas.com/
If you have enjoyed this episode of Believe in People, please share it with someone who might need it. Subscribe for more conversations that challenge stigma and centre real recovery stories.
believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
This short episode of Believe in People Extra features a focused clip from our conversation with Adam Maxted - UK wrestling star, personal trainer, and two-time Love Island contestant.
Adam speaks openly about steroids, testing cycles, image and performance enhancing drugs, cutting through myths around quick results and explaining the real difference between use and abuse. He reflects on gym culture, body image pressure, and why many people turn to these substances without fully understanding the risks.
Adam also discusses the mental and physical impacts he experienced, including unwanted body changes, changes to libido, and the longer-term consequences that are rarely talked about in fitness spaces or on social media.
This short episode is designed to be honest, accessible, and non-judgemental - offering insight for people who may be curious about steroids, gym-goers, and professionals working with image and performance enhancing drug use.
You can listen to the full conversation with Adam here:
https://www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com/adammaxted/
believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
Paula McGowan OBE joins Believe in People for a full, in-depth conversation about her son Oliver, whose death led to the introduction of The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training across health and social care in England.
Paula explains how people are too often doubted, judged, or written off in services, how distress is misread as behaviour or non-compliance, and how bias, fear, and rigid systems can escalate harm. Drawing directly from Oliver’s story, this conversation challenges professionals to reflect on power, responsibility, and what must change in everyday practice to prevent avoidable harm and loss of life.
What Is The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training?
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training was introduced following Oliver’s death to address systemic failures where autistic people and people with a learning disability were not listened to, misunderstood, or harmed through avoidable mistakes. The training is now a legal requirement for health and social care staff in England.
Information about the training and statutory expectations can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oliver-mcgowan-code-of-practice/the-oliver-mcgowan-draft-code-of-practice-on-statutory-learning-disability-and-autism-training
Training availability and booking information can be found here:
https://www.olivermcgowantraining.com/book-training
If you found this episode of the Believe in People podcast valuable, please share it with colleagues and professionals who need to hear it. Subscribing, reviewing, and sharing helps this conversation reach the people who can make change happen.
WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE
believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra #PaulaMcGowan #OliverMcGowan
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
This short episode of Believe in People Extra shares an exclusive preview from our upcoming full conversation with Paula McGowan OBE, whose son Oliver’s death led to the introduction of The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training across health and social care in England.
This preview focuses on one critical question: why Tier 2 training matters, and why listening to people with lived experience is not optional, but essential for safety, dignity, and life itself.
Paula explains why Tier 2 training must be delivered face to face, why it is led by experts with lived experience, and why cutting corners in training is never about saving money, but about risking lives.
What Is The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training?
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training was introduced following Oliver’s death, to address systemic failures where autistic people and people with a learning disability were not listened to, misunderstood, or harmed through avoidable mistakes. The training is now a legal requirement in health and social care settings in England.
You can book the training here
https://www.olivermcgowantraining.com/book-training
Official government guidance and statutory expectations can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oliver-mcgowan-code-of-practice/the-oliver-mcgowan-draft-code-of-practice-on-statutory-learning-disability-and-autism-training
believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma, Chiedu Oraka, one of the UK’s most distinctive emerging voices in rap, also known as The Black Yorkshireman, joins Matt to discuss dual identity, stigma, and the turning points that reshaped his life.
Born and raised on a Hull council estate in a Nigerian household, Chiedu grew up balancing two worlds: cultural expectations at home and the pressure to fit in outside - while carrying the weight of how others perceived him.
We explore how racism, reputation, and “estate survival” shaped his early choices, including the realities of alcohol culture, drugs, crime, and being labelled from a young age. Chiedu speaks candidly about the contradiction that defined a pivotal year: going to prison and going to university in the same year - and how that collision forced a change in direction.
Now, after performing at Glastonbury, opening for Coldplay, and supporting Skepta on tour, Chiedu reflects on success without abandoning his roots - using his platform to challenge stigma, widen perceptions of Black British identity and to pass the ladder down for young people who feel written off.
This episode offers practical insight for people in recovery, family members, frontline practitioners, and anyone interested in real stories of change.
Search terms: addiction recovery podcast UK, stigma and recovery, lived experience stories, drugs and alcohol culture, racism and identity, peer support, trauma and recovery.
believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this episode of Believe in People Extra, Amy Jo Johnsonshares why she chose to stop drinking - not because her life had fallen apart, but because alcohol was making her anxiety louder and everyday life harder to manage.
She shares the simple mindset shift that helped her most: giving herself permission to drink, and realising she didn’t actually want to. Amy Jo also reflects on how not drinking changed her friendships, why some social situations stopped feeling fulfilling, and how having support at home made it easier to follow through.
This short episode explores:
- Why you don’t need rock bottom to change your drinking
- How removing alcohol can reduce anxiety and mental noise
- What happens to friendships when drinking is no longer the focus
If you’re questioning your relationship with alcohol, feeling unsure about stopping, or wondering whether you’re “allowed” to want something different, this clip may help you take a first step.
To listen to the full episode:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amy-jo-johnson-alcohol-free-loving-life-pink-power/id1617239923?i=1000653697345
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma, Joe Sealey joins us to discuss cocaine addiction, alcohol misuse, grief, and recovery. Known to millions as a cast member on The Real Housewives of Cheshire, Joe shares the story that existed long before the cameras - the career-ending injury that ended his football dream, the sudden death of his father, and how trauma and loss of identity pulled him into addiction.
We explore themes of addiction recovery, trauma, peer support, mental health, and the lived experiences that shaped Joe’s journey. Joe describes the moment cocaine felt like it saved his life, how quickly things escalated into dependency, the cycle of relapse and secrecy, and the impact addiction had on his family. He also reflects on what finally changed, why honesty became his turning point, and how routine, communication, and taking recovery one hour at a time helped him rebuild.
This episode offers practical insight for people in recovery, family members, frontline practitioners, and anyone interested in real stories of change.
Search terms: addiction recovery podcast UK, lived experience stories, peer support, trauma and recovery, substance misuse.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In the first episode of Believe in People Extra, our new spin off miniseries, Michelle Heaton speaks openly about what it feels like to want to stop drinking and not be able to.
She explains the medical dangers she didn’t understand, the shame that kept her stuck, and why addiction isn’t about a lack of willpower. Michelle shares the moment that changed everything: seeing someone else in recovery who had what she wanted - and realising she didn’t have to do this alone.
This short episode explores:
- Why stopping alcohol suddenly can be unsafe
- How peer support works when willpower doesn’t
- Why rehab helped, but free AA and CA meetings keep her sober
If you’re thinking about recovery, supporting someone else, or searching for a place to start, this clip may help you take the next step.
To listen to the episode in full
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1THTnfwpdcL22CaDFTkvNm
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma, Patti reflects on a lifetime shaped by silence, trauma, and survival. Growing up in a dysfunctional home in 1970s San Francisco - marked by alcoholism, emotional neglect, and parents who barely spoke - she began using alcohol and drugs at just 13 to escape overwhelming pain. By 16 she had lost her mother to alcoholism, a loss that profoundly shaped her understanding of addiction, identity, and generational trauma.
Patti shares candidly about early experiences with hallucinogens during the counterculture era, the years she spent bartending in Alaska amid heavy cocaine use, and the moment she chose life over self-destruction. She describes the powerful impact of her first women-only 12-step meeting, the birth of long-term sobriety, and the choice to get clean before having children so she would never repeat the patterns she grew up with.
After nearly 13 years in recovery, Patti later faced relapse - driven by disconnection, loss of community, motherhood identity shifts, and the seductive “yummy mummy” drinking culture. She unpacks how secrecy, co-dependency, and convincing self-talk sustained her relapse, and the moments that finally brought clarity: writing her first book while still drinking, confronting her own hypocrisy, and acknowledging that recovery requires honesty, therapy, and belonging - not just abstinence.
Together, Patti and Matt explore the deeper roots of addiction: trauma, loneliness, the search for meaning, and the societal and gendered pressures that shape women’s drinking. Patti critiques patriarchal elements of traditional 12-step structures, highlights the importance of women-centred spaces, and explains why she has gone on to start recovery groups in New Zealand, Portugal, and beyond.
This is a rich and layered conversation about breaking generational cycles, redefining identity in motherhood, and building a recovery community grounded in compassion, inclusion, and truth.
In this episode:
- Growing up in silence, emotional neglect and an alcoholic home
- Early use of alcohol, speed and acid from age 13
- Hallucinogens in 1970s San Francisco drug culture
- Losing her mother to alcoholism at 16
- Bartending in Alaska, cocaine use, and the “fork in the road” moment
- Getting sober before having children to break multi-generational patterns
- Women-only 12-step spaces and the power of belonging
- Moving to New Zealand and the loss of recovery community
- Motherhood, purpose collapse and the pull of “mummy wine culture”
- The psychology of relapse: secrecy, co-dependency and self-negotiation
- Writing a book while drinking and the confrontation with honesty
- Creating women’s meetings and broader, non-pedantic recovery spaces
- Trauma as a root cause, subjective suffering, and the need for therapy
- Finding your people and why some recovery rooms “suck”
believeinpeople #believeinpeoplepodcast #believeinpeopleextra
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma, we conclude our two-part conversation with Andy Woodward, who reflects on the long-term psychological effects of childhood trauma and how those experiences shaped his later struggles with alcohol use, anxiety and identity.
Andy shares how a false rape accusation in 2015 became a devastating turning point - stripping away the structures that once grounded him, including careers in both professional football and policing. Without those frameworks, unresolved trauma resurfaced, and alcohol became a way to cope with fear, panic and overwhelming emotional distress.
Through honest reflection, Andy discusses
- the spiral into binge drinking,
- the psychological impacts of trauma,
- the difficulty forming safe relationships,
- the misconceptions around addiction,
- and the challenges of seeking meaningful help within rigid or judgemental systems.
He also speaks candidly about the profound media attention following his 2016 disclosures, and the lack of aftercare that left him vulnerable and unsupported. A central theme of this conversation is the recognition that substance misuse often develops as a response to prolonged emotional pain - and that sustainable recovery begins with understanding that link.
This episode is a powerful and compassionate exploration of trauma, survival and change - and what it means to rebuild life with honesty, humility and hope.
In this episode:
- How childhood trauma resurfaced later in life
- The psychological fallout of a false rape accusation
- Alcohol use as coping, binge cycles and relapse psychology
- Anxiety, panic, fear and relationship difficulties
- Media exposure, vulnerability and lack of aftercare
- Rehab, 12-step work and multiple recovery pathways
- Mindset, meditation and living in the present
- Hope, acceptance and rebuilding life after collapse
Search terms: trauma and addiction recovery, false accusation lived experience, alcohol recovery UK, mental health and panic, relapse and recovery psychology, lived experience stories, stigma and trauma.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 If this episode connected with you, please subscribe and review. It directly helps us reach more people affected by addiction, trauma and stigma.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
Believe in People is a platform for lived experience, recovery insight and honest conversation. Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone who is, or working on the frontline, this podcast exists to inform, challenge stigma and inspire change.
If you or someone you know needs support with drugs, alcohol, housing, domestic abuse, or mental and physical wellbeing, free and confidential help is available via Change Grow Live:
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” - Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
Listen & Subscribe:
Spotify | Apple Podcasts
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
Mel shares her powerful journey from growing up as a triplet in a family where drinking was the norm, to finding recovery through boxing, community, and addressing her mental health. She opens up about identity struggles, belonging in pub culture, escalating substance use in Brighton, dangerous encounters with dealers, and the moment of clarity in Spain that changed everything.
From cannabis use after quitting alcohol to finding strength in 12-step fellowships, boxing, and medication, Mel’s story highlights the non-linear path of recovery and the importance of building your own sobriety toolbox.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
Emma Hardy MP joins Believe in People for the second time to discuss Hull’s triple flood threat, the rise of ketamine harm, and the cost of living’s toll on mental health. From sewage systems to social housing, she tackles some of Britain’s biggest challenges. We also talk about the need for transparency in government to rebuild public trust, the role of innovation in solving long-term challenges, and why political leadership must prioritise bringing people together over exploiting division.
Emma’s insights highlight how tackling complex problems requires both practical solutions and a shared sense of purpose. We explore why unity, community, and even “poo-powered planes” could hold the key to a better future.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
Elly returns for her third appearance on Believe in People to share insight from over 30 years working in harm reduction, with a focus on eliminating Hepatitis C.
She explains how treatment has progressed from year-long courses with severe side effects to today’s short-course tablets that are 96 percent effective. Elly draws on decades of professional experience, making this an essential listen for anyone interested in how public health services respond to complex and evolving challenges.
The discussion covers how Hepatitis C affects a broader population than often assumed. While commonly linked to injecting drug use, the virus also impacts people who have had tattoos abroad, unregulated cosmetic procedures or shared personal care items. Elly provides clear information about risk factors, symptoms and the long-term damage the virus can cause, especially when it remains undiagnosed for years.
This episode also highlights the importance of completing treatment and the barriers people face in doing so. Elly discusses the role of co-production between service users and commissioners in improving access and outcomes. Whether you work in healthcare, study public health or want to understand one of the most significant viral risks in the UK today, this conversation offers clarity, depth and practical advice.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this energising and unfiltered conversation, we meet Henry Beercock, founder of Hull’s growing sober movement Alcohull Free. After nearly two decades of heavy binge drinking, Henry made a bold decision: he gave up alcohol, left his corporate career, and radically transformed his life from the inside out.
What followed was more than personal recovery, it was the beginning of a cultural shift. Alcohull Free was built for people who are tired of drinking culture but still want to connect, socialise, and celebrate without compromise. It’s a movement that challenges outdated ideas about sobriety and creates space where being alcohol-free is something to take pride in. This is not about restriction, it’s about reclaiming joy, energy, and freedom.
This episode is for anyone exploring sobriety, rethinking their relationship with alcohol, or seeking new ways to connect - this is a conversation that could change everything.
Join the sober rebellion
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
Apple Music x Believe in People: A Classical Connections Feature
In this special collaboration, Believe in People host Matthew Butler is featured on Classical Connections, the Radio Academy Award-winning podcast hosted by renowned pianist and composer Alexis Ffrench.
Originally broadcast on Apple Music, this episode forms part of the acclaimed 60-Second Sonata segment, where Alexis listens to a personal story and responds by composing a bespoke piece of music. Inspired by Butler’s reflections on trauma, addiction, and hope, Ffrench created a new original composition titled “Believe” - a piano piece that captures the emotional gravity of the conversation.
In the conversation, Butler traces the origins of the Believe in People podcast and shares how his perceptions of addiction were transformed by speaking with hundreds of individuals in recovery. What emerges is an honest and sometimes difficult exploration of what leads people to substance use, the deeply personal nature of "rock bottom," and the power of simply listening without judgement.
In a generous move to help expand the conversation around recovery, Apple Music has donated both the composition “Believe” and the full interview audio for wider use within the recovery community.
Full Series below ⬇️
🔗 apple.co/ClassicalConnections
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In the first of a powerful two-part conversation, Andy Woodward joins Believe in People to recount the beginning of a journey that would ultimately expose one of the biggest scandals in British sporting history.
A former professional footballer, Andy was the first to go public with his experience of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of Barry Bennell, a youth coach whose crimes were concealed for decades by a culture of silence within football.
With striking honesty, Andy describes how predators like Bennell groom not only children but entire families, building trust to enable long-term abuse. He explains how the “position of trust” was weaponised, and how the sport’s insular, protective culture became a fortress - one that prioritised clubs over children and reputation over truth.
This episode also explores the wider emotional toll of Andy’s early experiences, including the haunting connection between his abuser and the man who murdered his aunt, a trauma that reverberated across his family and shaped much of his adult life.
Part one lays bare the origins of a profound personal reckoning. It sets the stage for part two, where Andy will speak candidly about the years of pain, addiction, and eventual healing that followed - a testament to how deeply childhood trauma can ripple through a life, and how recovery begins by speaking the truth.
🎧 Part two of Andy’s story coming soon
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this gripping return to Believe in People, Young Lee opens up about what happens after the chaos of addiction — when the drugs are gone, the dust has settled, and the real work begins. Once a rising star in the music scene, Young shares how losing everything forced him to rebuild from scratch — not just a life, but a self. Through daily spiritual practice, honest service, and the quiet discipline of presence, he’s found a deeper kind of freedom — one rooted not in status or success, but in being truly useful.
This isn’t just a story of surviving addiction — it’s a raw, unflinching look at the spiritual journey of being recovered. Young speaks with moving clarity about earning back trust from his children, breaking the illusion of control, and staying grounded in a world that pulls us in every direction. If you’ve ever wondered what recovery really looks like years down the line — this episode is your answer. It’s not about perfection. It’s about showing up, telling the truth, and choosing peace, one day at a time.
If you liked this episode then you'll also love Young's first appearance in episode 41 👇https://open.spotify.com/episode/6UtKzvrzzqVJWLQxZSehJ8https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/41-young-heroin-house-music-healing-smuggling-acid/id1617239923?i=1000650255345
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
Ross joins the podcast to share his powerful journey from personal tragedy to public advocacy, following the suicide of his father - a traumatic event that profoundly shaped his mental health. We explore how Ross turned to alcohol and cocaine to suppress overwhelming grief, endured multiple suicide attempts, and reached a pivotal moment of clarity during hospitalisation. His recovery story is rooted in the transformative impact of sobriety and the critical role of peer support. Through his involvement with Andy’s Man Club, Ross found a renewed sense of purpose in creating space for men to speak openly, confront trauma, and support one another without judgment.
This conversation delves into themes of emotional resilience, the social conditioning of masculinity, and the healing potential of community-led recovery. We also discuss the moment Ross met the paramedic who saved his life, and how full-circle experiences like these reinforce the value of second chances. Ross’s story is a compelling reminder that silence is not strength—and that choosing to speak out can be the first step toward real, lasting change.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, addiction, or overwhelming emotions, please contact Samaritans at 116 123, or visit Andy’s Man Club to find a local group.
🗣️ Trigger Warning: This episode discusses suicide, addiction, and mental health crises. Listener discretion is advised.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
Matt speaks with Woody, the National Connecting Communities Lead at Change Grow Live, who shares a candid account of his journey through addiction, recovery, and professional development. Woody reflects on the early signs of substance use in his teens and the emotional undercurrents that led him to rely on substances as a coping mechanism. He discusses his progression through various drugs, including butane gas, cannabis, hallucinogens, and ultimately alcohol, which became his most destructive dependency.
Woody describes the personal impact of addiction on his life, including strained family relationships, disconnection from his children, and the loss of his physical and emotional wellbeing. He talks about hitting rock bottom, including a significant turning point involving arrest and hospitalisation, which prompted him to seek detox and begin a new phase of recovery. Woody speaks with honesty about the shame, isolation, and denial that often accompany substance misuse.
A significant part of Woody’s recovery has been grounded in spirituality, nature, and meaningful connection with others. He shares how his introduction to a spiritual philosophy helped replace his dependency on substances with a sense of purpose and guidance. He also emphasises the vital role of the recovery community and the importance of peer support in sustaining long-term wellbeing.
Now in a leadership position, Woody explores the challenges and opportunities of being open about lived experience within professional settings. He reflects on stigma, disclosure, and the need to shift organisational cultures to recognise the value of lived experience as an asset. This episode offers insight into personal growth, systemic change, and the power of recovery to transform lives.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
Matt speaks with Chris De Banks, founder of Not Saints - the UK’s only not-for-profit record label supporting musicians in recovery - to explore the powerful intersection of music and sobriety. From navigating the drug-fuelled 90s music scene to building a sober creative community, Chris shares his journey through addiction, recovery, and the founding of Not Saints. Together, they unpack the myths that link creativity with substance use, challenge the glamorisation of addiction in pop culture, and spotlight how stigma can be dismantled through storytelling, sober events, and authentic musical expression.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this raw and controversial episode, Matt sits down with TalkToBigDan - aka Daniel Ramson - to explore his unapologetic, tough-love approach to recovery. Rejecting conventional services, Dan shares how he went from partying with rock stars and being sectioned to becoming one of Europe’s most in-demand addiction coaches. Drawing from lived experience, he challenges the disease model of addiction, advocating instead for radical accountability, discipline, and structure. From drug-induced psychosis to family fallout, Dan pulls no punches in a conversation that will provoke, divide, and spark vital debate on what recovery really means.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
John’s story is one of quiet transformation - trading binge drinking and chaotic nights for clarity, creativity, and connection. After a 5am moment of reckoning, he chose sobriety not because he identified as an alcoholic, but because alcohol no longer served the life he wanted to build. In its place, he discovered a passion for photography and launched Hull and Yorkshire Daily, a widely followed platform capturing the beauty and grit of his surroundings. Through candid reflection, personal growth, and even physical transformation, John has reshaped his life from the inside out - challenging drinking culture, redefining authenticity, and proving that change begins when we align our actions with our values.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
Paul Haley’s journey from the depths of heroin and crack cocaine addiction to national leadership is a powerful testament to resilience, transformation, and purpose. After a near-fatal injecting injury became his rock bottom, Paul made the courageous decision to rebuild his life. Nearly two decades later, he now serves as Change Grow Live’s National Service User Involvement Lead, using his lived experience to challenge stigma, empower others, and drive systemic change in treatment services. His story goes beyond abstinence - it's about reclaiming identity, proving the value of lived experience, and showing that recovery can lead not just to healing, but to leadership, impact, and lasting change.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In this powerful transatlantic collaboration, Believe in People host Amy Goldberg welcomes our UK counterpart Matt Butler into the guest seat alongside special guest host Caitlin Morrison - sister of the late Matthew Perry and driving force behind the Matthew Perry Foundation - for a deeply personal conversation on recovery, resilience, and legacy. Together, they explore how storytelling dismantles stigma, how lived experience shapes advocacy, and how one man’s journey - from working behind the scenes in addiction services to becoming a podcast host - reflects a broader mission to inspire hope and change.
Learn more about the hosts and their work:
- Believe in People America by Amy Goldberg: Push Back Productions | Instagram
- Caitlin Morrison and the Matthew Perry Foundation: Foundation Website | LinkedIn
- Believe in People: Spotify | YouTube
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
Matt sits down with ultramarathon runner Tom Fitzsimons, whose extraordinary journey from alcohol addiction to running 3,073 miles across the U.S. in 100 days is a powerful testament to human resilience. Through candid storytelling, Tom shares how running became his lifeline—a way to reclaim identity, process trauma, and inspire others. From training in front of a fireplace to surreal encounters on America’s loneliest highways, he reflects on the emotional toll of addiction, the healing power of movement, and the strangers who shaped his path. This episode challenges stigma and celebrates recovery, reminding us that purpose can be found in even the most painful places.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.
🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.
Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com
This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.
📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)
🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923
🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew
In the second part of this two-part episode, Matt continues his conversation with Sarah Hicks as she reflects on her journey through trauma, recovery, and advocacy.
Sarah shares the harrowing experience of surviving sexual assault, the long-term psychological impact, and her path to seeking justice. She candidly discusses the systemic challenges she faced during the investigation and legal proceedings, highlighting the critical need for change in how victims of sexual assault are treated.
The episode also delves into Sarah’s commitment to advocacy, exploring her work with the Violence Against Women and Girls Independent Advisory Group and her role as a lived experience coordinator.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
**Believe in People explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
For our full back catalogue you can visit our website ⬇️*www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com* If you or someone you know is struggling then this series can help.
You can see selected clips from the series on social media: @CGLHull ⬇️**
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
We'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Christopher Tait of the band Belle Ghoul & Electric Six for allowing us to use the track Jonathan Tortoise. Thank you, Chris, for being a part of this journey with us.
In this comprehensive two-part episode, Matt sits down with Sarah Hicks to explore her life story, touching on a wide range of themes that include addiction, trauma, abusive relationships, grief, and recovery. Sarah reflects on her early experiences with substance use, the impact of coercive control and emotional manipulation in her relationships, and the challenges of coping with profound loss and abandonment.
The conversation delves into the generational and societal influences that shaped Sarah’s understanding of love, connection, and normalcy, as well as the role of codependency in perpetuating cycles of addiction and unhealthy relationships. Sarah candidly discusses her struggles with self-worth, the complexities of parenthood, and her eventual journey toward healing and personal transformation.
Through a lens of resilience and self-discovery, Sarah offers insights into overcoming adversity, breaking free from harmful patterns, and rebuilding a sense of self in the wake of trauma. This episode provides a detailed and nuanced exploration of the interplay between addiction, mental health, family dynamics, and societal stigma.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
**Believe in People explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
For our full back catalogue you can visit our website ⬇️*www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com* If you or someone you know is struggling then this series can help.
You can see selected clips from the series on social media: @CGLHull ⬇️**
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
We'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Christopher Tait of the band Belle Ghoul & Electric Six for allowing us to use the track Jonathan Tortoise. Thank you, Chris, for being a part of this journey with us.
In this episode, Matt speaks with Zoe about her journey through substance misuse, mental health struggles, and recovery.
Zoe candidly shares her experiences of growing up in an environment where substance use was normalized, starting with cannabis at the age of 12 and progressing to recreational use of other drugs like pills and alcohol. She reflects on how societal pressures, childhood challenges, and undiagnosed ADHD shaped her behaviours, leading to patterns of self-sabotage and an escape through toxic relationships.
Zoe delves into her time as a chef in high-pressure kitchens, where substance use was part of the culture, and explains how this environment amplified her struggles. She also discusses the turning point in her life - a domestic violence incident that led to her arrest and a temporary separation from her child - prompting her to seek help through ReNew.
Through thoughtful conversation, Zoe explores how early trauma and familial dynamics contributed to her substance use and relationship choices. She describes how therapy, counselling, and personal reflection have helped her break generational cycles of neglect and empowered her to focus on building a better future for herself and her son.
This episode sheds light on the complexities of addiction, the normalisation of substances in modern society, and the importance of addressing underlying mental health and trauma.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
**Believe in People explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
For our full back catalogue you can visit our website ⬇️*www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com* If you or someone you know is struggling then this series can help.
You can see selected clips from the series on social media: @CGLHull ⬇️**
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
We'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Christopher Tait of the band Belle Ghoul & Electric Six for allowing us to use the track Jonathan Tortoise. Thank you, Chris, for being a part of this journey with us.
What happens when the highs of the music industry intersect with the lows of addiction?
Join Matt as he speaks to Chris Tait, keyboard player for Electric Sixand founder of Passenger Recovery, about his journey through addiction, recovery, and personal transformation. Chris provides an insightful perspective on the challenges of addiction, drawing from his personal experiences within the music industry.
He reflects on his teenage struggles with alcohol as a coping mechanism and examines how the cultural landscape of the music scene both enabled and exacerbated these challenges. Chris shares key moments that led him to embrace recovery, offering an objective look at the complexities of substance use within creative industries.
The discussion also explores Chris’s evolution, from overcoming personal struggles to founding Passenger Recovery, an inclusive center supporting individuals on their path to sobriety. His story highlights the potential for growth and positive impact when lived experience is directed toward fostering community support and purpose-driven action.
🎹 Metropolis Records: A Call to Action 🎹
Passenger Recovery is proud to collaborate with Metropolis Records on the Metropolis Records: A Call to Action campaign. This initiative brings together unique contributions from the Metropolis roster to raise funds supporting musicians in recovery from addiction and providing assistance to those seeking help.
Honouring Dave Heckman’s Legacy
This campaign is dedicated to the memory of Dave Heckman, the founder of Metropolis Records, whose passion for music shaped the industry. Dave faced his own battle with alcoholism, a struggle his family and colleagues now share to confront the stigma surrounding addiction.
Addiction is a pervasive issue in the music industry, often hidden behind the glamour of the spotlight. The pressures of constant touring, performance demands, and creative stress can drive individuals toward substance use as a coping mechanism. Acknowledging these struggles is critical to breaking the cycle and offering meaningful support.
About Passenger Recovery
Passenger Recovery, founded in 2016, is a Detroit-based Recovery Community Organisation. Initially focused on connecting touring musicians and crew with support meetings while on the road, the organisation has grown to provide peer support, events, advocacy, and resources to the local recovery community. By using music and the arts as pathways to heali
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**Believe in People explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
For our full back catalogue you can visit our website ⬇️*www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com* If you or someone you know is struggling then this series can help.
You can see selected clips from the series on social media: @CGLHull ⬇️**
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We'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Christopher Tait of the band Belle Ghoul & Electric Six for allowing us to use the track Jonathan Tortoise. Thank you, Chris, for being a part of this journey with us.
Matt jumps straight in at the deep end as Shev shares the profound impact of shouldering responsibilities far beyond her years, including becoming a mother at just 17.
In this deeply personal conversation, Shev delves into the emotional challenges of abandonment, the strain and strength of familial bonds, and the role addiction played in shaping her path.
Reflecting on her transition from occasional drinking to dependency within the pub industry, she candidly discusses the societal stereotypes she faced as a single mother and her determination to rewrite her story.
Together, they uncover the power of community, family interventions, and the growing sober movement, showcasing how recovery offers not just an escape from addiction but the chance for a vibrant and fulfilling new chapter in life.
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**Believe in People explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
For our full back catalogue you can visit our website ⬇️*www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com* If you or someone you know is struggling then this series can help.
You can see selected clips from the series on social media: @CGLHull ⬇️**
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We'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Christopher Tait of the band Belle Ghoul & Electric Six for allowing us to use the track Jonathan Tortoise. Thank you, Chris, for being a part of this journey with us.
Join Matt for a powerful conversation with Tom, a former talent agent whose life was drastically impacted by cocaine addiction.
Despite his high-earning lifestyle in central London, Tom shares his story of how addiction took control, culminating in the realisation that he was using drugs as he brought his new-born daughter home.
Tom reflects on his own childhood and his experience highlights addiction's damaging cycle, where moments of relief are overshadowed by drug induced psychosis, paranoia, and self-blame, driving further use.
As he details his recovery journey, Tom openly discusses his struggles with sobriety, periods of despair, and eventual intervention that led him to rehab and support.
His story illustrates the importance of support systems and the determination to rebuild, particularly in reconnecting with his daughter, underscoring the role of empathy and persistence in the path toward recovery.
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**Believe in People explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
For our full back catalogue you can visit our website ⬇️*www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com* If you or someone you know is struggling then this series can help.
You can see selected clips from the series on social media: @CGLHull ⬇️**
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We'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Christopher Tait of the band Belle Ghoul & Electric Six for allowing us to use the track Jonathan Tortoise. Thank you, Chris, for being a part of this journey with us.
Matt is joined by Ollie, who shares his journey from early childhood trauma to recovery, revealing how the loss of his mother at age eight and his father’s 22-year prison sentence at 15 shaped his formative years and led him toward a dependency on cannabis.
Reflecting on his tumultuous upbringing, he recalls becoming heavily dependent on cannabis, priding himself as a “weed connoisseur” who explored different strains and rationalised his constant use. In conversation, he acknowledges the toll cannabis took on his mental health, contributing to psychotic episodes and leading him into emotional isolation.
Smoking from morning to night, Ollie’s life became consumed by addiction, and now in recovery, he emphasises how, despite cannabis's societal acceptance, its damaging effects can rival those of harder substances.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
**Believe in People explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
For our full back catalogue you can visit our website ⬇️*www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com* If you or someone you know is struggling then this series can help.
You can see selected clips from the series on social media: @CGLHull ⬇️**
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We'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Christopher Tait of the band Belle Ghoul & Electric Six for allowing us to use the track Jonathan Tortoise. Thank you, Chris, for being a part of this journey with us.
Join Matt as he talks with Andre, who spent 31 years in a Los Angeles prison following convictions for armed robbery and murder.
Andre reflects on his path through incarceration, sharing insights into the harsh realities of prison life shaped by gang violence, systemic racism, and corruption.
Andre discusses his battles with addiction, the resilience needed to survive, and the personal transformation he experienced behind bars.
Now, as he redefines freedom through entrepreneurship and family, Andre provides a candid perspective on the challenges of life after prison and the enduring impact of his journey.
Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!
**Believe in People explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
For our full back catalogue you can visit our website ⬇️*www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com* If you or someone you know is struggling then this series can help.
You can see selected clips from the series on social media: @CGLHull ⬇️**
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We'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Christopher Tait of the band Belle Ghoul & Electric Six for allowing us to use the track Jonathan Tortoise. Thank you, Chris, for being a part of this journey with us.
Join Matt as he sits down with Emma, who candidly shares her journey through addiction, beginning with her exposure to drugs at the age of 11.
Influenced by her father’s addiction and her grandmother’s role as a local drug dealer, Emma’s substance use quickly escalated - from experimenting with ecstasy and amphetamines to becoming dependent on heroin and crack cocaine by the time she was 23.
Emma’s story paints a vivid picture of the harsh realities of growing up in an environment shaped by parental addiction. She recalls pivotal moments, including a public overdose and the life-saving intervention of naloxone.
Beyond the physical toll of addiction, Emma addresses the stigma and personal shame that often accompany substance misuse. She also reflects on the emotional complexity of her experiences, emphasising the need for greater empathy in addressing addiction and recovery.
**The Believe in People Podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
If you or someone you know is struggling then this series can help.
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Johnny Borrell, guitarist, singer, and frontman of Razorlight, sits down with Matt for an in-depth discussion about his teenage heroin addiction, his journey to recovery, and the stigma that surrounds these experiences.
Johnny opens up about the challenges he faced after being ousted from his band due to drug use, and how he eventually regained control of both his life and his music with the help of close relationships and a crucial time filler with Championship Manager.
He reflects on the immense pressures he encountered while recording his first album, which led to a relapse, and the stereotypes musicians often face, as well as the common misconceptions about drug use in the music festival scene.
**The Believe in People Podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
If you or someone you know is struggling then this series can help.
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Adam Maxted, professional wrestler and Love Island reality TV star joins Matt for a candid conversation about life in entertainment.
Adam shares his extraordinary journey, starting from the wrestling scene in Ireland, where opportunities were limited, to the transformative experience of participating in Love Island. He discusses how the show significantly boosted his career, leading to a dramatic increase in recognition and the birth of "Big Flex".
Adam addresses the mental and physical challenges he faced, including the toll of steroid use, the pressures of sudden fame, and the criticism from wrestling fans. The conversation covers the emotional highs and lows of his career, highlighting a missed WWE contract and a rigorous, yet unsuccessful, audition for UK Gladiators.
Matt explores Adam's reflections on instant gratification culture, particularly in bodybuilding, and the misconceptions surrounding steroid use. He shares personal experiences with fame and public perception, emphasising the unrealistic expectations placed on his lifestyle. The discussion underscores the importance of personal responsibility, showcasing Adam's efforts to redefine his identity beyond his reality TV persona.
Through honest discussions about maintaining a certain physique and the importance of post-cycle therapy for steroid users, Adam highlights the values of discipline, resilience, and self-acceptance. His story offers valuable insights into navigating personal trauma, breaking down stigmas associated with seeking help, and ultimately finding a path to personal growth and fulfillment.
**The Believe in People Podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
If you or someone you know is struggling then this series can help.
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Matt sits down with Ambrose, a prominent figure in the recovery community, to explore his remarkable journey from severe substance misuse to recovery and advocacy. Ambrose shares his harrowing experience with various substances, including alcohol, cannabis, ecstasy, LSD, amphetamines, temazepam, diazepam, and heroin.
Ambrose recounts his early struggles with substance misuse as a coping mechanism for social awkwardness, leading to life behind bars and deep despair, including relationship breakdowns and suicidal thoughts. His story highlights the complexities of addiction, the significance of personal responsibility, and the journey toward regaining control over one's life.
A pivotal part of his recovery was the peer support he received, which played a crucial role in his return to health and stability. Ambrose’s current work with the Hepatitis C Trust underscores his dedication to helping others, as he educates and supports individuals in their recovery, with a goal of eliminating the virus by 2030.
**The Believe in People Podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
If you or someone you know is struggling then this series can help.
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WARNING: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, including graphic descriptions of violence and trauma.
Starting to drink at just 10 years old, Harriette bravely recounts her youth in a household shattered by her father's alcoholism and her mother's involvement in abusive relationships. Whilst she was in primary school, her weekends involved consuming alcohol, reflecting a need to escape from the difficult circumstances at home.
Harriette describes the severe self-harm incidents that nearly cost her life. Her account of severing her radial artery and the subsequent life-saving interventions underscore the gravity of her situation. These experiences were crucial in her decision to enter rehab, where she finally received the comprehensive support needed to address her alcohol addiction and mental health issues.
Harriette’s story is one of transformation. Now sober, she is pursuing higher education and aims to contribute positively to the world through conservation work. Her story emphasises the importance of seeking help, the potential for personal growth, and the profound impact that recovery can have on individuals and their communities.
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**The Believe in People Podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
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Matt is in conversation with former child heroin addict and Getting Clean founder, Chris Sylvester, whose descent into addiction began at just 12 years old.
Chris shares his candid experiences, revealing the allure and grip of narcotics on both individuals and communities. His story transcends survival; it's a narrative of redemption, where pride and agony intersect in the pursuit of healing. But amidst the tales of violence, incarceration, and loss, there lies an undercurrent of hope.
This episode culminates with Chris's account of a pivotal 12-step recovery meeting that marked the beginning of a transformative journey. Chris set out to create an organisation that would unite people in recovery and help them to find purpose and friendship while giving back to both the community and the environment.
Chris Sylvester's life story is not one you'll easily forget.
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this series can help.
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Emmy & BRIT award-winning singer Michelle Heaton returns to the Believe in People Podcast.
With three years of sobriety achieved, Michelle shares her incredible journey from addiction to empowerment, revealing the raw truths and profound insights gained by delicately balancing family life, self-care, and personal growth.
Michelle provides an invaluable look into the complexities of sponsoring others through their sobriety, and how she manages the looming threat of relapse and the joy of reaching sobriety milestones.
As Michelle peels back the curtain on the world of reality TV, she recounts the missed opportunities that her past struggles snatched away and offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of her recent participation in shows like Celebrity SAS and Dancing On Ice.
Finally, Michelle explores the pressures of fame, body image, and self-esteem, discussing the relentless pressures created by the media and society, and how Michelle navigates the trials of authenticity in her public and private life.
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this series can help.
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Matt is in conversation with Amy Jo Johnson; actress, singer, writer and filmmaker best known for her role as the original Pink Ranger, in the worldwide hit 90's television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Together, they delve into Amy Jo's decision to abstain from alcohol, viewing it not as an obligation but as an empowering choice that has fundamentally reshaped her life.
Amy Jo's narrative encompasses her upbringing in a religious cult, her father's battle with alcoholism, and the profound impact of these experiences on her life's trajectory.
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this series can help.
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WARNING: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault including graphic descriptions of violence, trauma & abuse
Matt explores Kirsty's journey through amphetamine addiction and the challenges of navigating complex relationships. Kirsty shares her experiences with substance misuse and how it shaped her life, reflecting on her upbringing and family dynamics.
Kirsty courageously shares the weight of her previous relationships, shedding light on the impact of exploitation and multiple abusive partners who brought her to arrest and then reaching out for help. Kirsty delves into the psychological effects of trauma bonding, vividly illustrated through her first-hand experiences.
Kirsty's narrative is punctuated by victories, including marking her six-year sobriety milestone and embracing her role as a valued DWP Peer Mentor for the UK's leading third sector provider of drug and alcohol services, Change Grow Live.
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this series can help.
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Matt is in conversation with Young, whose turbulent journey with substance abuse commenced at the tender age of 11, thrusting him into a life ruled by crack, cocaine, and alcohol. Deep within a chaotic lifestyle, he was drawn into the Acid House music scene, then flourished as a global DJ while grappling with a hidden heroin addiction.
As Young shares his experiences as a drug smuggler and dealer, we witness the unravelling of his sense of self, as the adrenaline-fueled highs of his youth yield to the desperation of involvement with a drug gang and multiple attempts at getting clean.
Young navigates the path of recovery through the 12-step programme, and serving as a counsellor at Ark House Rehab, he discusses achieving profound personal change - discussing how sobriety has led to a deeper understanding of the power of helping others, of the ripple effect it has on society, and the immense growth that comes from devoted participation in the recovery process, shedding light on the universal nature of addiction.
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this series can help.
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Matt welcomes back Professor Dame Carol Black for her second appearance on the Believe in People Podcast.
Dame Carol, recently awarded the prestigious Grand Cross, the highest level in the order, and is awarded rarely and recognises only the most exceptional and sustained service to the UK. Fewer than 80 women have received the honour and Dame Carol is the first female doctor to be made a Dame Grand Cross.
Celebrated for her instrumental role in shaping UK's drug policy, Dame Carol's efforts secured record government funding of £780m to address drugs misuse. Her impactful reviews on drug abuse have catalysed a cross-government approach, reshaping strategies to tackle drug-related challenges.
Matt delves into her insights on the integration of mental health and addiction services, emphasising the crucial role of trauma support. He also explores Dame Carol's influential independent reviews on employment prospects, health, work, wellbeing, and sickness absence, all pivotal factors influencing productivity.
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this series can help.
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Discover Ian's post-retirement journey in our latest episode. Dive into the challenges of newfound freedom and the silent battle against alcohol dependency.
Join us as we uncover the layers of functioning alcoholism and the toll it takes on relationships. Ian's story isn't just his own; it reflects a broader cultural struggle often overlooked in retirement.
Through Ian's candid narrative, we explore the emotional and physical battles of addiction, shedding light on the importance of understanding and support. Journey with us through the highs and lows of recovery, guided by ReNew's beacon of hope. Despite the challenges, Ian's story is one of resilience—a reminder that there is hope and help for those facing similar struggles. Tune in now.
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this series can help.
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Ever found yourself caught in the relentless cycle of social binge drinking and wondered if there's another way to live? That's the very crossroad our guest, Hannah from the Sober Butterfly Collective, encountered before transforming her life. Our latest episode offers an intimate look into Hannah's journey from numbing emotional voids with alcohol to embracing a vibrant, sober lifestyle. We unpack the pressures of British drinking culture, delve into the transformative power of authentic connections, and reveal how these genuine friendships are crucial for those navigating the minefield of social expectations sans alcohol.
As you tune in, you'll discover more than just the story of one individual's path to sobriety. Hannah walks us through the practical steps and mental fortitude required to maintain a life free from alcohol, from the early days of yoga classes to the growth of a thriving community. The Sober Butterfly Collective's story is a testament to the strength found in unity, as we explore its evolution from a simple Instagram post to a diverse, inclusive network. Learn how activities like sober brunches and social anxiety support meetups offer refreshing alternatives, fostering a space where connections flourish without the need for a glass in hand.
Wrapping up, our conversation takes a holistic turn, looking at how our environments influence mental health and sobriety. Hannah shares insights into the creation of 'healing homes' and the role of everyday tasks in fostering well-being. The episode isn't just about putting down the bottle; it's a narrative of growth, productivity, and finding joy in the little things that make life truly fulfilling. Join us as we celebrate the victories of the sober curious and those who choose to redefine their relationship with alcohol, all while building a life they don't want to escape from.
Link to Hull's Collective Curious Coffee Catch-up
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
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Matt delves into the remarkable journey of Joe Cator, navigating the highs and lows of professional rugby while grappling with the intricacies of men's mental health and responsible drinking.
Joe's resilience shines through as he bravely shares his story of overcoming adversity, including the daunting challenge of twice rupturing his Achilles tendon and enduring 18 months of setbacks.
Throughout his journey, Joe emphasises the importance of responsible drinking, drawing from personal encounters and challenges. He candidly discusses the need for balance and awareness, shedding light on the complexities of alcohol consumption in professional sports and its broader impact.
Joe also opens up about the unique dynamics of playing for rival clubs, recounting the delicate balance of concealing his Hull FC tattoo while proudly representing Hull KR, all while embracing the responsibility of being a role model for those watching him pursue his passion.
But Joe's story extends beyond the field. He shares insights into his transition into life after rugby, offering a glimpse into his venture into Personal Training and entrepreneurship as a means of self-discovery and fulfilment.
You can follow Joe and Hull FC's season ahead at:
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**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
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Matt delves into Ruth's courageous journey battling alcohol dependency while facing the formidable challenge of a cancer diagnosis.
From the casual indulgence to the grip of addiction, Ruth candidly shares her experiences, detailing her use of alcohol diaries to unravel her triggers and pave the path towards recovery.
Ruth's unwavering commitment to maintaining sobriety amidst the adversity of her illness serves as a profound source of inspiration. Her story illuminates the virtues of resilience, self-discovery, and the transformative power of seeking support.
This episode serves as a beacon of hope, fostering empathy and encouraging open dialogues about mental health and sobriety.
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
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Matt and Claira embark on a profound exploration of the human experience in this episode, delving into the intricate dynamics of social anxiety, navigating sober nights out, and grappling with a decade-long battle against an eating disorder.
Throughout the conversation, Matt and Claira candidly examine the influence of labels, trauma, and emotional triggers on mental well-being, while shedding light on the concerning trend of 'misogyny grifting.'
The discussion also delves into the gender-specific need for heightened awareness of street safety, particularly for women, as they dissect strategies to evade predators and navigate the complex landscape of OnlyFans culture.
You can find Claira on :
- BBC Radio London
- Instagram @missclairahermet
- TikTok: @clairahermet
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
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Matt engages in a dynamic discussion with Hull's esteemed community artist, Andy Pea. Together, they embark on a journey through Andy's remarkable artistic evolution, peeling back the layers of his murals that have transformed town centres into vibrant canvases for collective expression. From his roots as a fashion designer to his ventures as a muralist abroad, Andy's path culminates in his pivotal role as a resident artist in Hull.
Dive into the rich concept of co-production as Andy unveils "Believe in People," a poignant community-driven mural situated at Trafalgar House on Beverley Road, addressing themes of addiction and recovery. This collaborative effort amplifies the voices of the marginalised, transforming their struggles into powerful works of art.
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
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Matt delves into a heartfelt conversation with John, a resilient Hull native whose journey transcends addiction to embody the essence of resilience. Now serving as a Harm Reduction worker, John's decade-long battle with heroin addiction positions him as a beacon of hope for others navigating similar challenges.
As John bravely recounts his path to recovery, he not only shares his personal struggles but also provides a guiding light for those still grappling with addiction. His story serves as a powerful testament to the transformative power of determination, support, and the right access to resources.
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this series can help.
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Matt delves into Robin's remarkable talent for blending comedy with science, all while championing rational inquiry through candid discussions on pressing societal issues. Robin's unique approach bridges the gap between humour and serious topics, as he fearlessly tackles subjects such as homelessness, addiction, suicide, and the pervasive stigmas surrounding them.
Robin Ince is a multi-award winning comedian, writer and broadcaster. As well as spending decades as one the UK’s most respected stand-ups, Robin is perhaps best known for co-hosting The Infinite Monkey Cage radio show with Professor Brian Cox. For his work on projects like Cosmic Shambles he was made an Honorary Doctor of Science by Royal Holloway, University of London.
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
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Matt engages in a profound conversation with Matt Downie MBE, Chief Executive of Crisis, the national charity for homeless people.
Together, they delve into Matt's role as a dedicated advocate for change, exploring how his diverse experiences across prominent organisations have deepened his understanding of the multifaceted issues surrounding homelessness and social injustices. The discussion delves into critical topics such as homelessness, rough sleeping, and the intersectionality of issues like sex work, shedding light on the urgent need for more affordable housing and comprehensive support systems.
Matt also gives his candid thoughts into the persistent challenges posed by rogue landlords and examines the historical and contemporary relevance of the 1824 Vagrancy Act.
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
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Matt engages in conversation with Mariana, a respected figure in Drug and Alcohol Awareness Community Training.
Mariana brings forth a wealth of insights, blending personal anecdotes, cultural perspectives, and crucial topics such as community training, substance effects, and the often overlooked issue of menopause, emphasising its relevance in workplace discussions.
As they delve into the conversation, they stress the significance of community engagement and support systems in effectively tackling substance misuse. From exploring Mariana's roots in Argentina's cultural context to addressing methods for identifying drug use in professional settings, the episode offers valuable guidance on navigating addiction and accessing support services efficiently.
**The Believe in people podcast explores addiction, recovery and stigma.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this series can help.
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In this episode, Matt and Elly take you on an enlightening journey into the world of harm reduction.
Elly, a seasoned veteran in the Drug & Alcohol sector, brings with her nearly three decades of invaluable experience. Her insights are nothing less than enlightening.
Furthermore, Elly delves into the topic of her new bitesize training sessions. Get ready as she demystifies crack use, explores its associated risks, and provides guidance on safer injecting practices.
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Matt is backstage at Hull Pride 2023, engaging in conversations with this year's headline acts.
First up, Matt speaks with Maizie Williams, original member of Boney M. With over 50 years in the performing industry, Maizie shares invaluable insights into her illustrious career and opens up about her approach to maintaining mental well-being in a demanding industry. Maizie also shares her insights into finding out about Boney M being used final episode of the sixth series of the British science fiction anthology series Black Mirror.
Next, join Matt as he sits down with Tinchy Stryder & then a conversation with Drag Queen Royalty - Ongina - Ongina sheds light on the importance of challenging HIV-related stigma and the impact of embracing diversity and inclusion within the LGBTQ+ community.
Finally Matt speaks with Emmerdale's Ash Palmisciano, who plays Matty Barton on the show - he shares his unique perspective on the influence of celebrity culture and the growing significance of trans awareness in today's society.
Throughout this special mini episode, you'll discover the heartfelt stories, experiences, and passion of these incredible individuals who are making a difference in their respective fields.
Pride in Hull is a registered charity, run by a small committee of volunteers on a not-for-profit basis. Members of the team have been involved in Pride in the city since the very first event in 2002.
For more information visit: https://prideinhull.co.uk/
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Matt talks to Andy Train, Creative Director & Co-Vice Chair of Pride in Hull, an InterPride Global Advisory Council Member for the British Isles, Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man and the current The Living Statue World Champion.
In a thought-provoking conversation, Andy delves into a diverse array of intriguing topics, ranging from the crucial subject of embracing body image and its impact on personal well-being to the deceptive world of catfishing and its repercussions in the digital age.
With a keen awareness of the pervasive influence of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), Andy discusses how it affects our social lives and mental health. The discussion takes a deeper turn into the sensitive subject of addiction and its complex nature, shedding light on the challenges many individuals face.
On a lighter note, Andy shares captivating insights into the realm of The Living Statue World Championships, exploring the artistry and skill behind this unique form of street performance. The conversation also embraces the empowering spirit of InterPride & Pride in Hull, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community's resilience and progress in the journey toward equality and inclusion.
Pride in Hull is a registered charity, run by a small committee of volunteers on a not-for-profit basis. Members of the team have been involved in Pride in the city since the very first event in 2002.
For more information visit: https://prideinhull.co.uk/
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Matt is joined by Kevin Kennedy, actor and musician, best known for playing the character Curly Watts for 20 years in ITV's long-running television soap opera Coronation Street.
Kevin serves as director of Kennedy Street recovery services, a peer-led, registered charity that offers support and signposting to people who want to recover from addiction as well as professional advice and coaching service to the business sector.
Kevin had a very public battle with his alcohol addiction until he entered active recovery 25 years ago. Now an advocate of recovery, he dedicates much of his time to helping others. Today, Kevin and Matt discuss:
- Addiction, recovery and how to live a healthy and sober life.
- His history of alcoholism and the reprieve of playing a loved character.
- Understanding the importance of peer support and asking for help.
- Musical theatre and hidden gigs in the Manchester music scene.
- Offering practical advice to others.
Kevin's Twitter
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Matt is joined by Braidey, a newly qualified nurse at ReNew.
Braidey gives a compelling and honest account of becoming a nurse and gives practical advice for those looking to enter this profession for the first time.
Her work involves delivering an outreach nursing provision directly to homeless communities and addressing the unique healthcare needs of this vulnerable population.
As a student nurse, she faced numerous challenges, including navigating through numerous placements and managing industry expectations despite academic shortfalls.
Braidey's story is a reminder that success is not always measured by academic achievements but by the effort and dedication she puts into her work and helping some of the hardest people to reach in Hull.
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In this episode Matt is joined by Connor Gregory, or more commonly known as British Wrestling stand out, Scotty Rawk.
Connor’s journey as an indie wrestler is not just about his physical abilities as a high-flying, risk-taking daredevil of an entertainer, but also his mental fortitude and how he has overcome personal struggles with alcohol, anxiety, suicide attempts and depression.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this podcast series can help.
Click below for ReNew's:
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TikTok
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Matt is joined by Bea, a Transgender woman, former Miss Transgender UK, and activist for Trans, neurodiversity, and disability rights.
In this candid conversation, Bea opens up publicly for the first time about her struggles with addiction to substances and shares her experiences of living with Tourette's. She discusses the challenges of finding support and acceptance within both the transgender and neurodiversity communities and shares her insights on how to better support those living with Tourette's.
This episode provides a unique perspective on the intersectionality of identity and the importance of destigmatising addiction.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this podcast series can help.
Click below for ReNew's:
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Website
Matt is joined by Pete and they candidly discuss the journey throughout his addiction to heroin and his lifestyle in recovery, including; the modern history of addiction, drug culture, heroin chic and how his personal experiences led to helping others and gaining employment in the sector.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction then this podcast series can help.
Click below for ReNew's:
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Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Website
Matt is joined by Nadine and they candidly discuss the journey throughout her addiction to heroin and her lifestyle in recovery, including; becoming a new parent, understanding her autism and sharing her lived experiences with Methadone through TikTok
Click below for ReNew's:
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TikTok
Website
Matt is joined by Emma Hardy, Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle.
Emma candidly discusses her background in teaching to becoming politically active in 2011 and using her profile and influence to tackle stigma.
Emma and Matt discuss:
- Stigma, addiction, recovery and education in Hull.
- The RE:Uniform campaign, reverse advent calendar and poverty premium.
- Emma's involvement with Endometriosis and Menopaus'ull.
Click below for ReNew's:
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Matt is joined by Emmy & Brit Award winning singer, Michelle Heaton, member of the pop group Liberty X.
In April 2021, Michelle bravely checked into rehab to fight her battle with addiction and today, 21 months sober, Michelle discusses:
- Addiction, recovery and how to live a healthy and sober life.
- Recognising and setting boundaries in social situations.
- Understanding the importance of peer support and asking for help.
- The decision to have an elective double mastectomy and hysterectomy due to her higher risk of cancer as she has the hereditary BRCA gene
- Staying active and her appearance on ITV’s Dancing on Ice.
- Offering practical advice to others.
Michelle's Instagram
Click below for ReNew's:
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In this episode Matt talks to Dr Helen Hawes GP about her route into the profession, managing pain for a person with an opiate addiction, life choices, religion, abortion, diversifying the workforce and a holistic approach to patient care.
Helen is part of the Modality Partnership in Hull - a patient-focused GP Partnership, committed to supporting practice communities and protecting the future of primary care.
https://www.modalitypartnership.nhs.uk/contact
____
ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
ReNew offers:
- Expert advice and information on drugs, alcohol, homelessness, prison and how to improve your health and wellbeing.
- A multi-disciplinary approach to care; our team includes experienced health and care staff, nurses and doctors.
- A whole family approach – working holistically with all members of the family to achieve and promote recovery.
- Therapeutic group and 1:1 interventions.
- A community and inpatient detoxification provision.
- Access to residential rehabilitation environments.
- A comprehensive harm reduction offer - reducing drug related deaths and harm via blood borne virus screening and issuing emergency lifesaving overdose reversal medication (Naloxone).
- Education, training and employment services – with direct links to all local education providers and an in-house community training provision.
- Multiple connecting communities offers, including – an outreach provision, a rough sleepers’ provision, criminal justice provision and a provision exclusively for women.
- Multiple peer led support provisions, including; Alcohol Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous and a daily breakfast club which is free and open to everyone.
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact ReNew via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
Click below for ReNew's:
Facebook
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Website
14 - Darren: The 12 Steps of Narcotics Anonymous, Opiate Addiction & Championing Recovery
In this episode, Darren takes Matt through his journey from taking his first substance aged nine - right through to present day and his time with Narcotics Anonymous (also referred to as NA).
NA offers recovery from the effects of addiction through working a twelve-step program, including regular attendance at group meetings. The group atmosphere provides help from peers and offers an ongoing support network for addicts who wish to pursue and maintain a drug-free lifestyle.
____
ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
ReNew offers:
- Expert advice and information on drugs, alcohol, homelessness, prison and how to improve your health and wellbeing.
- A multi-disciplinary approach to care; our team includes experienced health and care staff, nurses and doctors.
- A whole family approach – working holistically with all members of the family to achieve and promote recovery.
- Therapeutic group and 1:1 interventions.
- A community and inpatient detoxification provision.
- Access to residential rehabilitation environments.
- A comprehensive harm reduction offer - reducing drug related deaths and harm via blood borne virus screening and issuing emergency lifesaving overdose reversal medication (Naloxone).
- Education, training and employment services – with direct links to all local education providers and an in-house community training provision.
- Multiple connecting communities offers, including – an outreach provision, a rough sleepers’ provision, criminal justice provision and a provision exclusively for women.
- Multiple peer led support provisions, including; Alcohol Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous and a daily breakfast club which is free and open to everyone.
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact ReNew via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
Click below for ReNew's:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Website
Matt is joined by Mark Moody, CEO of the UK's largest Drug & Alcohol Charity, Change Grow Live.
Mark candidly discusses his rise from an entry level position with only 40 people in the organisation all the way to being responsible for over 4,000 employees. Mark and Matt discuss:
- The impact of Dame Carol Black's independent review on drugs
- The public's perception of Change Grow Live
- Growing up in Scotland during the heroin epidemic
_______________
ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
ReNew offers:
- Expert advice and information on drugs, alcohol, homelessness, prison and how to improve your health and wellbeing.
- A multi-disciplinary approach to care; our team includes experienced health and care staff, nurses and doctors.
- A whole family approach – working holistically with all members of the family to achieve and promote recovery.
- Therapeutic group and 1:1 interventions.
- A community and inpatient detoxification provision.
- Access to residential rehabilitation environments.
- A comprehensive harm reduction offer - reducing drug related deaths and harm via blood borne virus screening and issuing emergency lifesaving overdose reversal medication (Naloxone).
- Education, training and employment services – with direct links to all local education providers and an in-house community training provision.
- Multiple connecting communities offers, including – an outreach provision, a rough sleepers’ provision, criminal justice provision and a provision exclusively for women.
- Multiple peer led support provisions, including; Alcohol Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous and a daily breakfast club which is free and open to everyone.
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact ReNew via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
Click below for ReNew's:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Website
In this episode, Sober Girl Society's founder, Millie Gooch, talks to Matt about why she quit drinking - and how it's changed her life since.
Millie talks to Matt about; binge drinking, labels, alcohol temptations, therapy, mental health, how to deal with sobriety, being a safe drinking ambassador, sober dating, sober sex, Sober Girl Society events, being an Instagram & TikTok influencer, her Sober Girl Society handbook and much, much more!
You can learn more about Millie and her Sober Girl Society at:
https://sobergirlsociety.com/
www.facebook.com/sobergirlsociety
www.instagram.com/sobergirlsociety
www.tiktok.com/@sobergirlsociety
___
ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
The service provides an end-to-end facility and support for adults within the city who may have alcohol or drug issue or who are a family member/significant other of those with a drug and/or alcohol issue.
ReNew offers:
- Brief help to give information, advice and choices
- Structured support to become substance free; including medical interventions if appropriate
- A wide range of group work options
- Help with wider issues (housing, benefits, training, employment, family, social & health needs)
- Aftercare and support to create a new substance free life
ReNew, in partnership with The Forward Trust, also provide a dedicated independent service for family members and friends of people who are worried about their loved ones’ substance use. Those close to someone having problems with drugs and alcohol can often experience difficulties themselves and the family service offers a safe and relaxed environment to discuss personal well-being, either alongside others in similar circumstance, or in an individual, confidential appointment.
ReNew are located at:
- Trafalgar House, 41-45 Beverley Road, Hull, HU3 1XH
- Gipsyville Action Centre, 728-730 Hessle Road, Hull, HU4 6JA
- North Point Shopping Centre, 74 Goodhart Road, Bransholme, Hull, HU7 4EF
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact ReNew via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
You can visit the website at:
https://www.changegrowlive.org/hull-renew
www.facebook.com/CGLHull
www.twitter.com/CGLHull
www.instagram.com/CGLHull
www.tiktok.com/@cglhull
ReNew's Service Manager, Di, joins Matt for episode 12 and gives a candid account of managing Hull's Drug & Alcohol Service and talks about her 35 years in the sector.
___
ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
The service provides an end-to-end facility and support for adults within the city who may have alcohol or drug issue or who are a family member/significant other of those with a drug and/or alcohol issue.
ReNew offers:
- Brief help to give information, advice and choices
- Structured support to become substance free; including medical interventions if appropriate
- A wide range of group work options
- Help with wider issues (housing, benefits, training, employment, family, social & health needs)
- Aftercare and support to create a new substance free life
ReNew, in partnership with The Forward Trust, also provide a dedicated independent service for family members and friends of people who are worried about their loved ones’ substance use. Those close to someone having problems with drugs and alcohol can often experience difficulties themselves and the family service offers a safe and relaxed environment to discuss personal well-being, either alongside others in similar circumstance, or in an individual, confidential appointment.
ReNew are located at:
- Trafalgar House, 41-45 Beverley Road, Hull, HU3 1XH
- Gipsyville Action Centre, 728-730 Hessle Road, Hull, HU4 6JA
- North Point Shopping Centre, 74 Goodhart Road, Bransholme, Hull, HU7 4EF
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact ReNew via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
You can visit the website at:
https://www.changegrowlive.org/hull-renew
www.facebook.com/CGLHull
www.twitter.com/CGLHull
www.instagram.com/CGLHull
www.tiktok.com/@cglhull
Holly has just turned 21, graduated this week and landed her first job with Change Grow Live. She talks with Matt about the importance of volunteering, the opportunity her internships have provided for her and and how they've helped her find employment with her local drug and alcohol service.
___
ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
The service provides an end-to-end facility and support for adults within the city who may have alcohol or drug issue or who are a family member/significant other of those with a drug and/or alcohol issue.
ReNew offers:
- Brief help to give information, advice and choices
- Structured support to become substance free; including medical interventions if appropriate
- A wide range of group work options
- Help with wider issues (housing, benefits, training, employment, family, social & health needs)
- Aftercare and support to create a new substance free life
ReNew, in partnership with The Forward Trust, also provide a dedicated independent service for family members and friends of people who are worried about their loved ones’ substance use. Those close to someone having problems with drugs and alcohol can often experience difficulties themselves and the family service offers a safe and relaxed environment to discuss personal well-being, either alongside others in similar circumstance, or in an individual, confidential appointment.
ReNew are located at:
- Trafalgar House, 41-45 Beverley Road, Hull, HU3 1XH
- Gipsyville Action Centre, 728-730 Hessle Road, Hull, HU4 6JA
- North Point Shopping Centre, 74 Goodhart Road, Bransholme, Hull, HU7 4EF
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact ReNew via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
You can visit the website at:
https://www.changegrowlive.org/hull-renew
www.facebook.com/CGLHull
www.twitter.com/CGLHull
www.instagram.com/CGLHull
www.tiktok.com/CGLHull
Elly has nearly three decades of experience in the Drug & Alcohol sector and Matt talks to her about addiction & recovery in the 80s and 90s, commercial sex work, the history of Hull's needle exchange & the importance of effective prescribing and therapeutic recovery
___
ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
The service provides an end-to-end facility and support for adults within the city who may have alcohol or drug issue or who are a family member/significant other of those with a drug and/or alcohol issue.
ReNew offers:
- Brief help to give information, advice and choices
- Structured support to become substance free; including medical interventions if appropriate
- A wide range of group work options
- Help with wider issues (housing, benefits, training, employment, family, social & health needs)
- Aftercare and support to create a new substance free life
ReNew, in partnership with The Forward Trust, also provide a dedicated independent service for family members and friends of people who are worried about their loved ones’ substance use. Those close to someone having problems with drugs and alcohol can often experience difficulties themselves and the family service offers a safe and relaxed environment to discuss personal well-being, either alongside others in similar circumstance, or in an individual, confidential appointment.
ReNew are located at:
- Trafalgar House, 41-45 Beverley Road, Hull, HU3 1XH
- Gipsyville Action Centre, 728-730 Hessle Road, Hull, HU4 6JA
- North Point Shopping Centre, 74 Goodhart Road, Bransholme, Hull, HU7 4EF
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact ReNew via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
You can visit the website at: https://www.changegrowlive.org/hull-renew
You can follow us on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/CGLHull
You can follow us on Twitter here: www.twitter.com/CGLHull
You can follow us on Instagram here: www.instagram.com/CGLHull
In Episode 9 Matt talks to Professor Dame Carol Black.
In 2019 Dame Carol was commissioned by the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Care to undertake a 2-part independent review of drugs, to inform the government’s thinking on what more can be done to tackle the harm that drugs cause.
Part one was published on 27 February 2020 and provides a detailed analysis of the challenges posed by drug supply and demand, including the ways in which drugs fuel serious violence. Part two was published on the 8 July 2021 and focuses on drug treatment, recovery and prevention.
The report’s aim is to make sure that vulnerable people with substance misuse problems get the support they need to recover and turn their lives around, in the community and in prison. It contains 32 recommendations for change across various government departments and other organisations, to improve the effectiveness of drug prevention and treatment and to help more people recover from dependence.
Dame Carol was the Principal of Newnham College, Cambridge, until 2019. From 2006 to 2016, she advised the British Government on the relationship between work and health and she is a medical practitioner, a trustee of the National Portrait Gallery and a member of the governing body of Uppingham School.
In 2018 Black was appointed Chair of the British Library and she was made a CBE in 2002 in recognition of her research work on Scleroderma. She was also appointed DBE in 2005 while President of the Royal College of Physicians and she was awarded an honorary doctorate of science by the University of Bristol in 2003 and an honorary Fellow of the Academy of Medical Educators in 2010.
You can read Professor Dame Carol's review here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/independent-review-of-drugs-by-professor-dame-carol-black
___
ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
The service provides an end-to-end facility and support for adults within the city who may have alcohol or drug issue or who are a family member/significant other of those with a drug and/or alcohol issue.
ReNew offers:
- Brief help to give information, advice and choices
- Structured support to become substance free; including medical interventions if appropriate
- A wide range of group work options
- Help with wider issues (housing, benefits, training, employment, family, social & health needs)
- Aftercare and support to create a new substance free life
ReNew, in partnership with The Forward Trust, also provide a dedicated independent service for family members and friends of people who are worried about their loved ones’ substance use. Those close to someone having problems with drugs and alcohol can often experience difficulties themselves and the family service offers a safe and relaxed environment to discuss personal well-being, either alongside others in similar circumstance, or in an individual, confidential appointment.
ReNew are located at:
- Trafalgar House, 41-45 Beverley Road, Hull, HU3 1XH
- Gipsyville Action Centre, 728-730 Hessle Road, Hull, HU4 6JA
- North Point Shopping Centre, 74 Goodhart Road, Bransholme, Hull, HU7 4EF
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact ReNew via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
You can visit the website at: https://www.changegrowlive.org/hull-renew
You can follow us on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/CGLHull
You can follow us on Twitter here: www.twitter.com/CGLHull
You can follow us on Instagram here: www.instagram.com/CGLHull
In Episode 8 Matt talks to Andy Train, chair of the Hull & East Riding LGBT+ Forum, the Co-Founder and Co-Chair UK Pride Organisers Network, Trustee, Creative Director & Co-Vice Chair of Pride in Hull, an InterPride Global Advisory Council Member for the British Isles, Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, The president of the Joint War Organisation, Hull's Gold man and Sir Topham Hatt, a fictional character in The Railway Series books, featuring Thomas the Tank Engine, written by the Reverend W. Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry.
Andy candidly talks about his nursing background, working during the pandemic, coming out at 32, gender pronouns, alcohol and addiction, the LGBT+ community and the upcoming Pride in Hull festival.
Pride in Hull is a registered charity, run by a small committee of volunteers on a not-for-profit basis. Members of the team have been involved in Pride in the city since the very first event in 2002. This year Pride celebrates its 21st Birthday! with two amazing celebrations happening on one day, in Queen’s Gardens- Hull.
Festivities kick off with a technicolour parade through the city, which snakes through to Queen’s Gardens for the main Pride festival. Expect amazing street food and a whole carnival of fabulous plus a few suprises!
**11.00: Pride Parade in Hull main FREE event
12:00 – 17:30: Pride main event FREE – now taking place in Queen’s Gardens
18:00 – 21.30: Pride Party in the Park, TICKETED – now taking place in Queen’s Gardens**
For more information visit: https://prideinhull.co.uk/ and to book tickets to the Party in the Park please click the link below:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/prideinhull/?fbclid=IwAR2i3f7AhZ-2FVlYH_nmF2kHUfxEFBApinFm5z487gYC8PNw3PABIplxaQg
___
ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
The service provides an end-to-end facility and support for adults within the city who may have alcohol or drug issue or who are a family member/significant other of those with a drug and/or alcohol issue.
ReNew offers:
- Brief help to give information, advice and choices
- Structured support to become substance free; including medical interventions if appropriate
- A wide range of group work options
- Help with wider issues (housing, benefits, training, employment, family, social & health needs)
- Aftercare and support to create a new substance free life
ReNew, in partnership with The Forward Trust, also provide a dedicated independent service for family members and friends of people who are worried about their loved ones’ substance use. Those close to someone having problems with drugs and alcohol can often experience difficulties themselves and the family service offers a safe and relaxed environment to discuss personal well-being, either alongside others in similar circumstance, or in an individual, confidential appointment.
ReNew are located at:
- Trafalgar House, 41-45 Beverley Road, Hull, HU3 1XH
- Gipsyville Action Centre, 728-730 Hessle Road, Hull, HU4 6JA
- North Point Shopping Centre, 74 Goodhart Road, Bransholme, Hull, HU7 4EF
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact us via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
You can visit the website at: https://www.changegrowlive.org/hull-renew
Founded in 2005 by managing director Steven Gauntley, the original 1PW was headlined by some of the biggest names in the industry, including AJ Styles, Abyss, Samoa Joe, Steve Corino, and the legendary Bret 'The Hitman' Hart, alongside a roster of premier British wrestlers like PAC, Doug Williams, Jody Fleisch, and Greg Burridge. 1PW also helped launch the careers of the first-ever NXT Tag Team Champion and current WWE announcer, Corey Graves (Sterling James Keenan) and former WWE Superstar, Drake Maverick (Spud)
In episode 7 Matt talks to Steve about addiction from a young age, working in the drug and alcohol sector, intergenerational casual fans, his advice to others in the business, wrestling being his constant, living in recovery and the circumstances and desire to relaunch 1PW seventeen years to the day of his inaugural show on Saturday 1st October 2022, at The Dome in Doncaster.
1PW is a British professional wrestling promotion reborn from the ashes of the original company with new industry sensibilities. 1PW is back to fill the void at the top of British wrestling, with a roster of globally recognised names including AEW's Ruby Soho, WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam and women's wrestling icon Mickie James as well as some of the best talent from up and down the country. The return event will take place 17 years to the day of 1PW's inaugural show on Saturday 1st October 2022, at The Dome in Doncaster and will be available to stream via FITE (www.fite.tv) alongside 1PW's back catalogue of star-studded shows. For more information, check out @1ProWrestling (Twitter), @1ProWrestling (Instagram), /1ProWrestling (Facebook) and on the web at www.1prowrestling.com.
___
ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
The service provides an end-to-end facility and support for adults within the city who may have alcohol or drug issue or who are a family member/significant other of those with a drug and/or alcohol issue.
ReNew offers:
- Brief help to give information, advice and choices
- Structured support to become substance free; including medical interventions if appropriate
- A wide range of group work options
- Help with wider issues (housing, benefits, training, employment, family, social & health needs)
- Aftercare and support to create a new substance free life
ReNew, in partnership with The Forward Trust, also provide a dedicated independent service for family members and friends of people who are worried about their loved ones’ substance use. Those close to someone having problems with drugs and alcohol can often experience difficulties themselves and the family service offers a safe and relaxed environment to discuss personal well-being, either alongside others in similar circumstance, or in an individual, confidential appointment.
ReNew are located at:
- Trafalgar House, 41-45 Beverley Road, Hull, HU3 1XH
- Gipsyville Action Centre, 728-730 Hessle Road, Hull, HU4 6JA
- North Point Shopping Centre, 74 Goodhart Road, Bransholme, Hull, HU7 4EF
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact us via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
You can visit the website at: changegrowlive.org/hull-renew
In episode 6 Matt talks to Chelsey about her mum's journey through addiction, detox, recovery, breast cancer discovery and bereavement.
___
ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
The service provides an end-to-end facility and support for adults within the city who may have alcohol or drug issue or who are a family member/significant other of those with a drug and/or alcohol issue.
ReNew offers:
- Brief help to give information, advice and choices
- Structured support to become substance free; including medical interventions if appropriate
- A wide range of group work options
- Help with wider issues (housing, benefits, training, employment, family, social & health needs)
- Aftercare and support to create a new substance free life
ReNew, in partnership with The Forward Trust, also provide a dedicated independent service for family members and friends of people who are worried about their loved ones’ substance use. Those close to someone having problems with drugs and alcohol can often experience difficulties themselves and the family service offers a safe and relaxed environment to discuss personal well-being, either alongside others in similar circumstance, or in an individual, confidential appointment.
ReNew are located at:
- Trafalgar House, 41-45 Beverley Road, Hull, HU3 1XH
- Gipsyville Action Centre, 728-730 Hessle Road, Hull, HU4 6JA
- North Point Shopping Centre, 74 Goodhart Road, Bransholme, Hull, HU7 4EF
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact us via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
You can visit the website at: https://changegrowlive.org/hull-renew
In episode 5 Matt talks to Rachel about :
🟣 Working as a nurse in the third sector
🟣 Her recent cancer diagnosis
🟣 The decision to reject the treatment pathway offered in favour of an alternative approach
🟣 Following her intuition and researching other options
🟣 Mistletoe and Vitamin C therapy
You can follow Rachel's journey and read about about the alternative approaches to her treatment below ⬇️
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100074310571915
https://www.thehealinggarden.uk/
https://www.canceractive.com/
https://canceroptions.co.uk/
https://www.kirstenhartvig.com/
https://www.camphillwellbeing.org.uk/
https://www.mistletoetherapy.org.uk/
A message from Rachel:
"The content within this podcast relates to my cancer diagnosis and journey alone.
*It is not intended to be used as medical advice. I am not a Doctor, I am a Nurse, in this instance, the only person I am treating is myself. The information contained within this podcast is my personal journey and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
All content and information pertains to information I personally believe in for my chosen recovery pathway. I make no representation and assume no responsibility for the accuracy of the content of information available via my page. All information is subject to change. No information in this podcast is intended to assess, diagnose, or treat illness and please always consult with your physician or Doctor with any medical advice and treatment pertaining to your health.*
Under no circumstances will I be held liable if anyone chooses to make decisions pertaining to their own health based on the content or links contained within these pages that results in loss or damage to another. These pages are not intended to be directive or offer health advice, again they are an account of my journey to recovery. If you do undertake any action because of these pages you will be responsible for your own health.
*I am not affiliated with any outside organisation, I am not being paid for any content or material posted on this site, nor am I “influenced by anyone, in any way”. With regard to my own health, I have researched the causes that attributed to cancer in my case and devised a treatment plan with trained professionals and based on findings and research sought out by myself for myself that resonated with me and through God given intuition"
___*ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
The service provides an end-to-end facility and support for adults within the city who may have alcohol or drug issue or who are a family member/significant other of those with a drug and/or alcohol issue.
ReNew offers:
Brief help to give information, advice and choices
- Structured support to become substance free; including medical interventions if appropriate
- A wide range of group work options
- Help with wider issues (housing, benefits, training, employment, family, social & health needs)
- Aftercare and support to create a new substance free life
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact us via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
You can visit the website at: https://changegrowlive.org/hull-renew
In episode 4 Matt talks to Darylanne about volunteering in a drug & alcohol service and how this has prepared her for working full time in the busy duty office in Hull.
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ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
The service provides an end-to-end facility and support for adults within the city who may have alcohol or drug issue or who are a family member/significant other of those with a drug and/or alcohol issue.
ReNew offers:
- Brief help to give information, advice and choices
- Structured support to become substance free; including medical interventions if appropriate
- A wide range of group work options
- Help with wider issues (housing, benefits, training, employment, family, social & health needs)
- Aftercare and support to create a new substance free life
ReNew, in partnership with The Forward Trust, also provide a dedicated independent service for family members and friends of people who are worried about their loved ones’ substance use. Those close to someone having problems with drugs and alcohol can often experience difficulties themselves and the family service offers a safe and relaxed environment to discuss personal well-being, either alongside others in similar circumstance, or in an individual, confidential appointment.
ReNew are located at:
- Trafalgar House, 41-45 Beverley Road, Hull, HU3 1XH
- Gipsyville Action Centre, 728-730 Hessle Road, Hull, HU4 6JA
- North Point Shopping Centre, 74 Goodhart Road, Bransholme, Hull, HU7 4EF
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact us via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
You can visit the website at: https://changegrowlive.org/hull-renew
Episode 3 is a trans-Pennine car journey that sees Matt travel from St Helens to Knowsley to Halton to Warrington to Manchester to Tameside to Bradford to Kirklees to Leeds to Hull in eight hours to discuss Hepatitis C and what's being done from at each of the ten Change Grow Live services situated on the M62 motorway.
___
ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
The service provides an end-to-end facility and support for adults within the city who may have alcohol or drug issue or who are a family member/significant other of those with a drug and/or alcohol issue.
ReNew offers:
- Brief help to give information, advice and choices
- Structured support to become substance free; including medical interventions if appropriate
- A wide range of group work options
- Help with wider issues (housing, benefits, training, employment, family, social & health needs)
- Aftercare and support to create a new substance free life
ReNew, in partnership with The Forward Trust, also provide a dedicated independent service for family members and friends of people who are worried about their loved ones’ substance use. Those close to someone having problems with drugs and alcohol can often experience difficulties themselves and the family service offers a safe and relaxed environment to discuss personal well-being, either alongside others in similar circumstance, or in an individual, confidential appointment.
ReNew are located at:
- Trafalgar House, 41-45 Beverley Road, Hull, HU3 1XH
- Gipsyville Action Centre, 728-730 Hessle Road, Hull, HU4 6JA
- North Point Shopping Centre, 74 Goodhart Road, Bransholme, Hull, HU7 4EF
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact us via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
You can visit the website at: https://changegrowlive.org/hull-renew
In episode 2 Matt talks to Andi about addiction, recovery, suicide, anxiety, depression, family, self esteem and role models.
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ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
The service provides an end-to-end facility and support for adults within the city who may have alcohol or drug issue or who are a family member/significant other of those with a drug and/or alcohol issue.
ReNew offers:
- Brief help to give information, advice and choices
- Structured support to become substance free; including medical interventions if appropriate
- A wide range of group work options
- Help with wider issues (housing, benefits, training, employment, family, social & health needs)
- Aftercare and support to create a new substance free life
ReNew, in partnership with The Forward Trust, also provide a dedicated independent service for family members and friends of people who are worried about their loved ones’ substance use. Those close to someone having problems with drugs and alcohol can often experience difficulties themselves and the family service offers a safe and relaxed environment to discuss personal well-being, either alongside others in similar circumstance, or in an individual, confidential appointment.
ReNew are located at:
- Trafalgar House, 41-45 Beverley Road, Hull, HU3 1XH
- Gipsyville Action Centre, 728-730 Hessle Road, Hull, HU4 6JA
- North Point Shopping Centre, 74 Goodhart Road, Bransholme, Hull, HU7 4EF
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact us via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
You can visit the website at: https://changegrowlive.org/hull-renew
In episode 1 Matt talks to Lindsey about addiction, recovery, safeguarding, stigma and harm minimisation.
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ReNew is a free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Hull.
The service provides an end-to-end facility and support for adults within the city who may have alcohol or drug issue or who are a family member/significant other of those with a drug and/or alcohol issue.
ReNew offers:
- Brief help to give information, advice and choices
- Structured support to become substance free; including medical interventions if appropriate
- A wide range of group work options
- Help with wider issues (housing, benefits, training, employment, family, social & health needs)
- Aftercare and support to create a new substance free life
ReNew, in partnership with The Forward Trust, also provide a dedicated independent service for family members and friends of people who are worried about their loved ones’ substance use. Those close to someone having problems with drugs and alcohol can often experience difficulties themselves and the family service offers a safe and relaxed environment to discuss personal well-being, either alongside others in similar circumstance, or in an individual, confidential appointment.
ReNew are located at:
- Trafalgar House, 41-45 Beverley Road, Hull, HU3 1XH
- Gipsyville Action Centre, 728-730 Hessle Road, Hull, HU4 6JA
- North Point Shopping Centre, 74 Goodhart Road, Bransholme, Hull, HU7 4EF
ReNew are happy to talk to you face-to-face, online, over the telephone, or whatever way suits you.
If you're worried about something, please contact us via telephone for support between 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Friday, on 01482 620 013.
For support out of hours please call the freephone on 0800 6 126 126.
You can visit the website at: https://changegrowlive.org/hull-renew