“When you’re in jail, they tell you it’s important to have your family ties. But I was telling them, if you keep me in here any longer I’ll have no family to get out to…
“I was jailed for three years but I served 11. I was on an IPP [indeterminate public protection] sentence and got constant knockbacks from parole – two years each time. I just gave up.
“But with my family and girlfriend on the outside, I started thinking ‘right I need to get out now’. “So I went into Recycling Lives’ workshop – it gave me an end goal.
“Recycling Lives helped me to get my job ready for release. I work for Kier now, in highways maintenance. It’s mint! There’s lots of opportunities. They’ve put me through my tickets, they’re going to fund my HGV licence and it’s decent money.
“Life is much happier now and the job is a big part of that.
“Both my parents passed away not long after I was released but my mum got to see me back to normal. “She was so happy about that. I can’t describe what that means to me.
“Recycling Lives gave me that opportunity.”