‘I was drinking eight litres of vodka a day’

A recovering alcoholic, who would drink until he passed out on a daily basis, has thanked a housing charity for helping to turn his life around.

Mick Everard from Stoke-on-Trent has managed long periods without drinking since engaging with Hanley charity Saltbox, and is currently five months sober.

Through the charity's Restart project, he has a flat in Burslem, is regularly going to the gym and has reconnected with his children.

“I‘m a new person. They’re happy to have dad back,” he said.

Mr Everard, who told BBC Radio Stoke he used to drink eight litres of vodka a day, described himself as a "raging alcoholic" before engaging with Saltbox two years ago through the probation services.

“I was at rock bottom,” he said, “I always thought I was on my own. Sitting at home drinking on my own”.

The Restart project currently houses 131 people, which Mr Everard said had helped his recovery.

“They all cover the same problems with different addictions,” he said, “You don’t feel isolated.”

One of the people to whom Mr Everard has offered peer support is Kelly, who has been sober for three weeks - a process she said had been really hard.

“They help with all sorts - mental health, addiction,” she said about Saltbox.

“Without them, I think I would have been in a much darker place, but they’ve helped me to get my life back.”

She recognised that “it’s still early days” and encouraged others suffering from addiction to seek support.

One woman was so grateful to the charity’s staff, she had their logo tattooed on her arm.

The former prisoner has had issues with alcohol, depression and social anxiety.

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn't for these guys,” she said, showing her latest tattoo picturing the council bungalow she has secured with the help of the charity.