Mike is now a regular volunteer with our ACE team, sharing his story and helping men due for release from HMP Preston.

He understands their situations well, having joined ACE’s MAP Group after he moved into recovery housing following his release from prison.

“I want to help people – help youngsters to not make the same mistakes I made,” he says.

“My family life was OK but when my mum met a new man, things took a turn, and my life span out from there.

“That pushed me to the streets. I was 13. I wasn’t getting no love at home, so I was raised in the streets. But that starts to wear you down. I started using drugs to dampen down those feelings. I landed in prison and in there, I started using heroin.

“That was the cycle then, for years and year and years.

“My catalyst for change came when my wife passed away in 2020, when I’d just been given 11 years in prison. We’d been together 30-odd years. She’s my kids’ mum. I had to do some deep soul searching.

“I’d just been throwing life away. I’d get out of jail and wouldn’t feel comfortable in my skin. I was only comfortable in the chaos of prison.

“I did nine months of counselling and was able to unpack all those little demons in a safe place.  Ever since, I’ve lost that need to take drugs.

“I was transferred to HMP Thorn Cross, that brought me up North, and when I was released I went to a ‘dry house’ and was recommended to visit RL’s ACE team.

“I came along and I said, ‘I want to help people’. Charles put his arm around me, and said, ‘you’ve come to the right place then’.

“At the same time, I had to leave the recovery house and find somewhere to live and managed to get myself a place. ACE’s team helped me to get a nice, big, clean house. But the police came for me a few days later. I got recalled for changing my address. Not committing a crime.

“With ACE’s support, I was given an executive release. ACE – Charles, Amy, Jon and Gary – have been tremendous, they’ve done so much for me. They did a wicked write-up for me for my papers.

“I’ve been out of prison for three years now with no crimes. This is the first time I’ve ever finished a sentence and got off license [from probation]. I’ve had to be humble. At the moment, I’m back in supported housing and on the dole.

“I’ve got my FLT and CSCS cards with Recycling Lives, and I’m doing my counselling levels 1 and 2 now. I volunteer with ACE at the Release Hub at HMP Preston and I do the talks too. That’s cathartic.

“I’ve done a lot of harm and a lot I’m not proud of, but I’ll tell my story to caution kids and, hopefully, help others.”