On Friday 28th December 2018, Sky News featured a piece focusing on Senior Support Worker John, affectionately known as Big John.
John is a key member of the team at Broadway Lodge and has openly talks about his past of addiction, committing crime and spending time in various prisons.
In the full report, John says “I was once a notorious criminal from North London and I’m now in recovery helping as many people as I can…I was spending thousands of pounds a day. Crack cocaine was my main addiction but I’d take absolutely anything.”
John admits to taking drugs whilst in prison and says that the criminal justice system didn’t help him to live a future without substances. But like so many other people seeking help for addiction, he eventually began a life in recovery at Broadway Lodge when he came for treatment in 2005 and has been clean ever since.
The full clip showed John speaking clients Tricia and Steve, as well as Darren who is homeless and sleeping in a public toilet for shelter. John says that helping others with addiction is his way of showing remorse.
He is an extremely dedicated, compassionate and selfless individual who makes a positive difference to our clients and to the lives of many people in active addiction and homelessness in the local community of Weston-super-Mare.
You can watch the shorter clip by clicking here.
