With my Dad and brothers into drugs it was hard to escape, particularly when my brother spiked my drink with drugs. I was just 16. By the time I came to Amber I was in the gutter and as low as I could get, living in a tent and getting into more and more hard drugs. Amber was the saving of me.

At Amber I did everything it offered. Literacy and numeracy, Personal Development Course, Exmoor base camp and I really enjoyed the Teamwork and Leadership course. Amber was great from day one, it was the stepping stone to me sorting out my life and I still miss it and the people today.

My dream and desire was to join the army but I’d been in prison and they told me I couldn’t join until my convictions were spent. Eventually, when I left Amber, I went on a 14 week course to see if I was suitable and I got the ‘top student’ award. Two months later I went for selection at Purbright and passed with flying colours. I was on my way. After a 26 week combat infantry course I was in N. Ireland with the 2nd Battalion Rifles and then off for a stint in Kosovo before going to Afghanistan. That was 3 years ago and without a doubt if it wasn’t for Amber I wouldn’t have achieved so much and be where I am today but still be on drugs and sinking further into oblivion.

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