Notes Fundraiser for The People's Recovery Project

Aim: Supporting The People’s Recovery Project to develop alternative and additional routes into residential detox and rehabilitation

MARIUSZ'S STORY:

WORKING MY WAY OUT OF HOMELESSNESS AND ADDICTION

Your donation will help TPRP support people out of homelessness and addiction.

My name is Mariusz and you may know me as a barista and bartender serving you coffee here at Notes. But my journey to get here has not been straightforward.

From a young age I suffered a lot of trauma that led to me using drugs to cope. At points in my life I managed to stay clean and live in relative stability. However this all turned upside down when I lost my entire family in a tragic accident 13 years ago. 

This was the start of a long period of street homelessness and a descent into the depths of serious drug use that was impossible for me to escape. My situation was made more difficult due to my nationality and lack of entitlement to state support. I lost all sense of hope.

During the Covid pandemic things started to change for me. The availability of unconditional accommodation meant I was able to come indoors, I started to reduce my drug use, I was able to achieve EU settled status, and I got a job at Notes. Following 8 years on the streets I now found myself employed, giving me a sense of purpose in life, and something I needed to keep hold of.

Change is hard when you have been living rough for 8 years, surviving day to day. It was a struggle to re-enter society and I still had to deal with all the trauma from my past. After facing many barriers and delays, after 2 years I was finally given the opportunity to go to residential detox and rehabilitation. Now I am free from illicit street drugs for the first time in over 20 years. 

I am an active member of The People’s Recovery Project community, supporting the development and direction of this new organisation as it seeks to make recovery achievable and sustainable for people experiencing homelessness and addiction.

At Notes I have found a family and a reason to get up in the morning as I strive to build a new life for myself. With The People’s Recovery Project I am able to use my experience to support important work and ensure as many people as possible have access to life saving treatment for their addiction.

I was stuck on the streets for too long and I know many people who are still out there struggling every day to manage their dependency and survive. The drug services are not currently able to support people who are homeless and using substances and it is my belief that innovative projects like The People's Recovery Project are essential to changing the current situation on our streets. 

I am sharing my story and experience because I believe it shows what is possible if the right solutions are available for people in similar situations that I found myself in. 

This festive season Notes is supporting The People’s Recovery Project and I hope you can do so too.

Much love and happiness to you all. Mariusz x

This project successfully funded on 20th January 2024