FUNDRAISING
THE ULTIMATE
CHALLENGE
John Lowes takes us with him on
a very personal journey
TODAY I WALKED TWO MILES
, swam
one mile, cycled 20 miles and ran
two miles. I’m doing the same again
tomorrow, then the next day and the
next. One hundred miles in four days
– more than I’ve ever done before
and far more than I ever thought
possible of myself.
There were no crowds, no one to
cheer me on, no prize, no round of
applause at the end. Today was quiet,
lonely, and uneventful, my only
company being the faces in the
shared swimming lanes that regarded
me with indifference as they didn’t
know what I was doing or why.
About 20 years ago I was a drug
user. Not the weekend, smiley, go
back to work on a Monday kind, but
the kind that the newspapers warn
you to stay away from. The kind that
you don’t want living at the end of
your street. The kind you hope beyond
all hopes your sons, daughters, sisters,
brothers, mothers and fathers never
turn out to be. But some of us do
turn out to be just that, not out of
active choice, but rather a succession
of bad choices that get us
relentlessly to that bitter end.
We don’t like it there, but for a
time we push everything away, even
help, until our only friend is the drug
or the drink that takes us into its
daily world of oblivion and lets us
forget; forget who we are, forget who
we could be, forget what we’ve lost,
forget what we’ve chased away and
run away from, just to be alone.
Today wasn’t about recognition. It
was about change, it was about
second chances… third, fourth, fifth, six
chances. Today was about the people
who, given the right opportunities at
the right time, can make a real
difference to their lives and to the lives
of those who love them.
Today and the next three days I
run, cycle, swim and walk in support
of NewLink Wales’ MILE project,
which helps people move away from
the misery of problematic drug and
alcohol use and gives them the skills,
tools, and more importantly the self-
belief to make the changes necessary
to start living a positive and
meaningful life.
I hope my four days of doing this
will highlight the positive side of
substance misuse services and promote
an understanding among the wider
public that people can, and do, change.
I was given my chances, I was given
my opportunities, and eventually I was
able to make themwork for me. If I
was written off I know I would have
been dead years ago, but instead I’m
now doing my bit to help support
others, to create chances like they
were once created for me.
John Lowes, NewLink Wales
business development officer
If you would like to do a mile for MILE
(not 100 – one will do nicely!) and
help raise some much-needed funds
for the project, please get in touch:
June 2015 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| 9
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MOI
@Kelsblells
30 May 2015
You will save lives through decriminalisation, education & harm
reduction. Move interventions to health from law enforcement.
#legalhighs
FRANCIS L
@Francislunn
29 May 2015
Off to buy a Lucozade whilst I still can #legalhighs
WDP
@WDP_Charity
29 May 2015
One of our service users shares his experience at this year’s
@DDNMagazine service user conference ow.ly/NBCLq #recovery
AQUARIUS
@AquariusTweets
29 May 2015
So you think you know legal highs? #legalhighs try our #quiz
-
legal-highs-13l4k @WMPolice @DrugTalkToFrank @rfmentalhealth
@DDNMagazine
DR BROOKE MAGNANTI
@belledejour_uk
27 May 2015
Because of course history shows us the best solution to a free-for-all
is criminalisation. *facepalm* #legalhighs
OPCC HAMPSHIRE
@HantsPCC
27 May 2015
Good news in @UKParliament #QueensSpeech about total ban on
lethal #legalhighs that kill people. Also need education & awareness
programme
DR RUSSELL NEWCOMBE
@TheNewImpostor
27 May 2015
@DDNMagazine its outrageous that UK drug laws stop psychiatrists
from doing treatment or research with MDMA, LSD, DMT or other
hallucinogens
EQUINOX CARE
Equinox Care
27 May 2015
@DDNMagazine Sharing with you a range of alcohol stories, from
street outreach to detox & rehab, to longer term care ow.ly/NtMgJ
SHARON SHARMAN
@sharonsharman1
25 May 2015
@DDNMagazine @ExpertCitizens Great to see Scotland’s move on this:
Ex- offender means EX offender; giving people a chance #nojudgements
leT's connecT!
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