A team of volunteers from Jericho House, who are part of the charity’s addiction recovery programme, have come to aid of Derbyshire’s specialist child exploitation charity Safe and Sound.
Safe and Sound is undergoing a refurbishment programme at the Osmaston Community Hub in Cotton Lane which the charity now runs and is attended by a wide range of youth, family and community activities.
Jericho House answered the call out for external painting and fitting a new kitchen with other external projects planned for the future undertaken by Derby City Council and companies such as Toyota (Manufacturing) UK.
Safe and Sound CEO Tracy Harrison explained:
“When we took on the Community Hub, we wanted to make it a far more welcoming and inclusive environment for young people, families and the local community to enjoy.
“Jericho House were the perfect partners for this project and both charities share the same ethos of positive support to help people move forward with their lives.
“Drugs and alcohol are also a common denominator in both charities’ work as perpetrators often use these to manipulate, groom and exploit young people.”
Jericho House is a nine-bed residential addiction recovery project that provides a holistic approach to drug addiction with elements of housing support and re-settlement. It supports service users who are single males aged 18 and over with a history of drug dependency to achieve the highest quality of life and realise their full potential.
The team of volunteers was led by Mark Donovan, who has turned his life around with the charity from being homeless and addicted to heroin to being clean and re-training as a support worker with Jericho House.
He explained:
“Ericho House has helped me transform my life through compassion and a structured recovery programme and, most importantly, by being accountable for my actions.
“Community projects such as these are also important ways to build self-confidence and esteem and to learn new practical and communication skills.
“Addiction is a totally selfish and self-absorbed thing so it is important that we now give something back to local communities and make a positive difference to society.”
Recovering addict Nathan Millward continued:
“It is great to be busy and doing something worthwhile again. I can drive past here in the future and know that I have helped to make this place better for the people who use it.”
Aged just 26, Thomas Kenyon knows first-hand how drink and drugs are used to exploit young people. He said:
“Too many young people are being exploited in this way and it is great to be involved in this project which helps young people early on so hopefully they don’t follow the path into addiction.”
Joe Bowman was a busy painter and decorator before addiction took hold of his life and has enjoyed being back with a brush in his hands.
“I could not see a positive future before I came to Jericho House but it is so good to have the opportunity to work again.”
And Max Holehouse returned to work with the group even though he is five and a half years clean.
“Jericho House has been a lifeline for me and everyone here will always be my family. I volunteer as much as I can in between starting to work for myself as it is so important to put something back into the community.”
Jericho House manager Neil Ainslee concluded:
“It has been a pleasure to work on this project with Safe and Sound and to learn more about the vital work that they do to protect and support young people and families who have been affected by child exploitation.
“All the volunteers involved are on our aftercare programme which includes independent living, further education and retraining and returning to employment.
“I hope that we will continue to forge greater links with Safe and Sound having become an independent charity here in Derby to help individuals overcome addiction, rebuild their lives and contribute positively to society.”
For more information about our work and how to support the charity, please visit our website and follow our social media channels and follow Jericho House on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jerichohousederby1