Lloyd's story          

Before I became a Companion at Emmaus Sheffield I had a serious heroine addiction and ended up homeless and sleeping in a tent on Bridlington cliff top. My days were usually spent shoplifting in order to get money to feed my habit.  My life had become so bad that part of me was hoping I'd get caught and get sent to prison.  At least there I'd be warm, get three meals a day and, most important of all, I could try and become drug free.

"I needed to move on with my life..."

Back then my family didn't want to know me because I was on drugs, but it was thinking of them that helped me make it through this period in my life.  Eventually I was sent to prison and that was where I heard about Emmaus.  It took me a while to decide whether it was the right place for me; Emmaus isn't an easy ride.  But I'd worked most of my adult life and even as a kid I used to do people's gardens for them to earn extra pocket money, so in the end I thought Emmaus might be what I needed to move on with my life and get back to the person I used to be before I got on the heroine.

It might sound dramatic but Emmaus has saved my life.  When I was at my lowest I didn't care if I lived or died. I had no future, but when I left prison and joined Emmaus it gave me something to live for.  I get up every day and go to work in the Community.  At the moment I'm working with Dave on the garden maintenance team, learning new skills and I'm hoping to train in arboriculture and eventually become a tree surgeon.

"My family are proud of me now."

And when I'm not working now I'm doing other stuff and keeping myself busy, playing guitar again, going swimming, cycling and working out in the gym that I helped set up in the Community.  I've put two stone on in weight since I stopped using and am feeling much better within myself.  My family are proud of me now and I see my dad most weekends. 

Life has definitely took a turn for the better and I now have a future to look forward to.  If you're homeless, prepared to work hard and want to sort your life out, then Emmaus is the place to do it.  I am grateful to everyone at Emmaus who have helped me, supported me and given me this opportunity to prove that I'm a decent person and not a hopeless junkie.  And I'm glad that it's not been handed to me on a plate.  Emmaus has given me back my pride and self respect and that means a lot to me.