I am currently in a residential treatment centre for alcohol and addiction issues. I’m not from Bristol originally so I didn’t know many people outside the treatment centre. As part of our treatment we’re encouraged to volunteer and join courses and training. I started Bristol community learning gardening course really just as part of my treatment, I didn’t have any experience of gardening, allotments or growing vegetables before the course. On the course we met people who were volunteering with the Feed Bristol project and they were really enthusiastic and motivated.
Doing this course has really helped me to understand the value of learning and volunteering, everyone has been so encouraging and really helped me,
I’m trying to put myself out there and come out of my shell a bit a bit more.
If I hadn’t done the course I wouldn’t have started volunteering at a local community radio station. Since getting involved in the radio station I have found a course run by the BBC which I am hoping to get on to. I would never have found that opportunity if I wasn’t volunteering, it’s really changed my life.