'It's changed my life' How Forward Leeds is helping one in 30 adults struggling with addiction find hope
For the last decade, Forward Leeds has been quietly rewriting the stories of people who once believed their lives were beyond repair.
In a city that never stops moving, this service has become a sanctuary of second chances for thousands of people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction.
The organisation is currently handling over 8,000 referrals a year with the single point of contact team fielding over 200 phone calls a day.
But the hardworking team supported by volunteers prove that day after day, transformation begins with quiet, unwavering kindness to help others overcome addiction.
Forward Leeds, has supported over one in 30 adults in the city since it started in 2015.
And they are expecting even more people to turn to them to help as we head into the festive season and beyond the New Year.
Jordan Hinton is just one of those whose life has been completely transformed by the team.
The 24-year-old’s life spiralled as a teenager when he started taking drugs at the age of 13 after he was assaulted.
He bravely told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “I just couldn’t cope with life and started using cocaine and that just didn’t do anything for me.
“I started smoking crack thinking it would be different and then I ended up taking pills, MDMA and ecstasy. If I could get them I would have them.”
At his lowest Jordan’s weight plummeted to just six-and-a-half stone. He said: “My mum looked at me and said you’re on the brink of death but that still didn’t stop me using.”
Jordan continued to spiral and he went to parties to try and get his next high.
He said: “I thought I could just keep it to the weekends but it became an every day thing. I wasn’t addicted to drugs, I was addicted to the feeling.
“I had become so addicted that my body needed it. I was on death’s door when I came to Forward Leeds.
“I wasn’t getting any better but they gave me hope.
“I owe my life to this service. I realised I didn’t need the drugs and I learnt how to be me and discover myself without substances.”
Jordan is looking to a brighter future - recently securing a job supporting others. For him, it is important to give back to the service that he says he owes his life to.
“For the first time in 11 years I wasn’t seen as other people used to call me a dirty junkie,” he said.
“I was seen as a person struggling who wanted help and that’s what I needed.
“My life had become chaotic and now I want to tell my story just to help even one person.
“It was scary first coming forward for help but if I can share one thing to anyone it is get that foot in the door.
“Push through the fear of asking for help and as soon as you do that’s when you will start to heal.
“People are here to help. It gave me the hope I never thought I would have. Without it I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Louise Rutherford, 51, from Leeds struggled with anxiety - at her lowest she struggled to go to the shop for a pint of milk. Her confidence was impacted and she turned to drink.
But her contact with Forward Leeds has been “life changing” after she was referred to them in March last year.
For her, that sense of support and belief helped to transform her outlook and her life.
Now after spending 14 months sober, she gives back to the organisation that changed her life. She said: “I’m comfortable and happy in my own life.
“I couldn’t go to the supermarket for a pint of milk without having a panic attack.
“Now I get on the bus and go on the train. It’s honestly life changing.”
And like Jordan, she is determined to give back and support others.
She added: “If I can share my story to help one person then it makes it all worthwhile.
“You don’t have to do this on your own. There are people there to help and support you.
“Just take a deep breath and make that initial phone call. It has completely changed my life.”
Forward Leeds recently launched a series of hard-hitting films aimed to shine a light on the realities of casual cocaine and ketamine use in Leeds.
It aims to raise awareness among people who don’t feel their ketamine or cocaine use is problematic, showing how something that feels fun or manageable can turn disruptive, isolating, or even dangerous.
And it is particularly pertinent in the build up to Christmas.
Helen Cooks, operations director at Forward Leeds, added: “We offer all support for people in need with alcohol and drug use.
“There are no barriers to coming into Forward Leeds.
“It is incredible to see people like Jordan and Louse. It makes me love my job even more. We want people to come and work with us and give something back. They have got such a rich experience and so much to share.
“I’m always touched by how brave they are and how much they're prepared to share their stories.
“It helps us challenge stigma and helps other people be able to relate to them and think I can get that help too. They really are trailblazing.”