"...Personal Best was a perfect first step and the beginning of a new journey, it provided a springboard for change..."
"Nigel was an exemplary participant on the Personal Best programme, he was able to challenge and support other learners whilst attending and engaging fully with the course content, achieving the Level 1 OCN award in Preparation for Event Volunteering (Personal Best)," said Lucy Robson, Nigel’s tutor at City Lit.
Nigel has been working on his alcohol dependency and drug addiction for many years and has been homeless many times. He was determined to re-educate himself so that he had the skills to confront alcoholism / drug dependency.
"I was looking for direction, structure and motivation in my life after forty-five years of continuous alcohol abuse."
Nigel’s lack of self belief and consequent continued dependency has almost killed him several times. "I was in a coma for three weeks. This was the turning point in my life."
Nigel has been in recovery since 2007 and sober for 18 months. "Being sober has allowed me to realise my potential as a human being. Personal Best was a perfect first step and the beginning of a new journey; it provided a springboard for change."
Nigel is now in the process of launching his own business enterprise fixing and recycling bikes and training disadvantaged people in cycle maintenance. "Squeaky Chains" aims to teach the mechanics of managing a bike to homeless people and ex-offenders.
In October 2009, Nigel won the Personal Achiever of the Year Award in the 20+ category at the London ESF Awards.
"My experience with ESF has grounded me and shown me the way forward in terms of contacts and business development. I plan to help others now in the community using my reinvigorated skills and knowledge"
For more information on the Personal Best programme at St Mungo's, click on St Mungo's.