Winners of Telford Recovery awards announced
A mother getting back on her feet after drug and domestic abuse and a support worker are the winners of an addiction services awards event.
Telford Recovery Conference appealed for residents to get on board by choosing the winners of its service user/recovery and professional heroes award categories.
Following a public vote organised via social media network Facebook the service user award went to Kymberley McGrath and the professional award to Leighton Woolley a support worker based at A Better Tomorrow, in Woodside.
Both have tackled drugs issues and with the help of the borough's support network have now turned over a new leaf.
They came tops after the conference organisers posted stories about each of the nominees, who remain anonymous to the public, on its Facebook page for residents to view and then post their own votes based on the information provided.
Kymberley, 33, of Donnington, Telford, said she was grateful to the voters for choosing her and to her support team.
"It's been a tough journey. I'm proud of the person I've become.
"I was a vulnerable adult and I had a violent partner, now my ex-partner, who was a drug addict and who got me on drugs too.
"I was ashamed of what was happening to me and I wouldn't tell anyone. Within weeks I was hooked on heroin and the drugs took over my life.
"I was battling addiction and the withdrawal attempts were horrendous. All this while I was going through domestic abuse and taking risks.
"Eventually my four children were removed from me and taken into the care of social services. I had to give up my home," she explained.
After splitting with her ex-partner she subsequently got referred to Telford Stars, a project for residents dealing with drug and alcohol misuse, and gradually started to rebuild her life. This process included help from a doctor, who changed her opioid medication which proved more beneficial to her detox and recovery effort.
She was also found a new home at Orsa Housing where a support worker provided advice and reassurance.
In addition she is studying to be a youth worker, has secured a job at STARS and looking ahead to the future she hopes to return to a family setting with her children.
Emma Surgue-Lawrence, of the conference steering committee, said: "Kymberley has done so much to overcome her difficulties. She has done amazingly well.
"She is fighting. She has got completely clean from drugs and has now moved into what we call a supported dry house."
Mr Woolley, works at abstinence service A Better Tomorrow, in Woodside, which provides housing and rehabilitation projects including men's cooking and counselling groups at Park Lane Centre, Woodside.
"They are both deserving winners. Leighton goes above and beyond the call of duty to help the service users. All the nominees deserve awards for what they do. Telford has a great addiction services network. We are very fortunate," she added.
The annual conference is organised in partnership with Telford Aftercare Team, in Wellington; Better Tomorrow, in Woodside; Telford Stars, in Priorslee; and rehabilitation farm Willowdene, in Bridgnorth.
It was held online this year due to the pandemic and would have normally been held at The Place theatre, in Oakengates, attracting delegates from support groups, recovering addicts, councils and health bodies.
