“Being in prison, everyone suffers in some way so lockdown in prison made that harder. I was in the open unit at HMP Styal during the first lockdown, so that made a big difference.
“But I was released in 2020 and the world was not the same. With lockdown and restrictions it felt like a different world.
“Having the support from Recycling Lives made a real difference.
“I went to work in the prison workshop for the opportunities offered on release and the support they offer.
“Working with Yvonne was absolutely amazing. She encouraged me every step of the way. She made me believe in myself and helped me to cope with the day-to-day feelings of being in prison
“My main worry was coming out of prison and having to disclose the fact I’ve been to prison, so going from prison to carrying on working with the charity on release made that easier.
“I did 10 weeks volunteering in the workshop in Preston doing exactly what I was doing in prison – I put all the boys to shame, doing more than them! I was in a bail hostel at that time and there was a lot of drug use there so being out of there five days a week kept me out of trouble.
“Lucy supported me to get out of there and I moved into my own place just before Christmas. Then an opportunity came up to work with Recycling Lives Ltd and I’ve been there ever since.”