From Rock Bottom to Renewal: How faith, community, and support transformed my life
Once homeless and battling addiction, Bernard’s journey from despair to stability shows the life-changing impact of faith, support services, and community.
Bernard (centre) accompanied by our Community Hub Caseworker, Berni (left) and Hub Volunteer, Julia (right)
Just a short while ago, I was in a really dark place. I was drinking heavily, taking drugs, and feeling completely lost after the breakup of a relationship and the grief from a previous loss.
I was homeless and living in an HMO surrounded by other people struggling with drugs, alcohol, and other issues. It was no environment to heal in. I was suicidal.
Four years before, I had my own successful business, but since my partner died, I’d been in and out of relationships, on and off the streets, and struggling with alcohol. I turned to We Are With You to stop drinking, and they referred me to Bournemouth Foodbank and Citygate Community Hub for a food parcel. From there, everything started to change.
Citygate was the lifeline - a food bank centre that was really a door to everything else. Berni (my case worker), the listening ears of the team, the services in the community - they all pulled me through, showing me the steps to lead me away from the darkness.
I’ve now been sober for nearly eight months! I don’t even think about drinking anymore. It’s like something switched in my brain. I truly believe that came from God’s protection and prayer - my own, and those with Berni. That spiritual support helped me open up to God. I read my Bible regularly and trust that God is speaking to me through it.
I’ve also been working with Steps to Wellbeing for my mental health, who have helped me manage my anxiety and access bereavement and trauma counselling - that’s made a big difference.
I found a job which I love with an understanding and generous boss. I work in a woodyard, helping customers with projects, using my background in gardening and landscaping. It feels good to be helpful. It feels even better to be trusted. I now work full-time, completely off benefits, paying my way. That’s always been important to me.
I have met someone, a lovely woman, and we now have a home together in a little bungalow in a lovely area. We have a dog, even a hot tub … and peace. It’s a far cry from that HMO life above a nightclub!
Coming to God and working through the 12 steps of Recovery have helped me face up to myself. I have lost a lot of my anger over the last year. I even managed to reconcile with my mum before she passed away a few weeks ago. Our relationship wasn’t easy, but I’d done enough healing to go to her and make peace. That’s something I’ll always be grateful for.
It doesn’t matter what you look like or where you’ve come from, we’re all just trying to make it through. Now, when I come in and see someone lost in their own bubble, I get it. I’ve been that person. But I also know there’s life outside the bubble. You just need people to remind you, people such as Berni (my Citygate caseworker), family and friends.
My advice? Be true to yourself. Ask for help. Accept it when it’s offered. Trust God, or at least, open your heart to the idea that something bigger than you might care. I think the main thing that helped me was opening my heart to God and talking to God in a direct manner, which is something I'd not really ever done before. I wake up, grateful for every day, thankful for the sun that shines, thankful for the people around me.
I’m still learning, still growing, still healing - but now, I’m doing it with a sense of gratitude, a connection to others, and a belief that I can make a difference. That’s everything!