“It’s not easy here, but it is worth it. I promise you that.”

You have to really want change to be here. Walk is for people who have absolutely no doubt that they have hit rock bottom. If somebody just wants accommodation because they are homeless, Walk is not for them.

If somebody wants a place for six weeks as a stop gap, then Walk is not for them either. People who do really well at Walk are usually here for up to two years and they are willing to do whatever it takes to change their lives.

Being at Walk means you are going to do things you don’t want  to do, and you are going to hear things you don’t want to hear. The rehabilitation process means that we are going to uncover the sore bits and then we’re going to poke at them because we need to heal them. That can be uncomfortable, but the results are incredible. Walk will change your life.

The change at Walk comes in stages and some parts of the process happen quickly. A fortnight in the detox home and most of the men here change physically, they put on weight, they get more colour in their face and they start to have more energy about them.

When they go to the recovery home, we start to see them change emotionally as they face challenges and push through difficult things as they allow parts of themselves to heal. In that process we see real maturity and character developing. When the men move into houses we start to see them come out of their shell more. They find their voice and we begin to see which direction their future could be heading in.

Once they can move into flats the progression in their lives is stunning and they achieve things they had only ever dreamed of before. It’s been amazing for me to watch people come in from the raw, broken end of addiction with no support around them and see that twelve months later they have changed so much that their children are coming to spend the weekend with them.

Going from collapsed physical and mental health to reconnecting with loved ones is not easy, and witnessing things like that really give my heart joy and make working here so special.

What I love about Walk is the relationships that form along the way, and as each man moves forward in life they will always have the support of peers who truly understand them. All the time playing chess, doing Bible studies, making lunch together or doing the dishes help these men create the foundational friendships that will support their recovery into the future.

I love seeing the guys relinquishing their selfishness, which they learned in their past addiction – to support their brothers. The guys here know when someone is lonely, has received bad news or is facing a difficult anniversary, and they rally round without hesitation.

You cannot create a program or a structure that delivers that as a service, it is something unique and beautiful to Walk. It’s not easy here, but it is worth it. I promise you that.