01 July 2026
Jamie has lived through trauma, drug dependency and the criminal justice system - and come out the other side determined to rebuild, and to help others do the same. From a childhood marked by instability and neglect to long stretches in care, young offenders' institutions and prison, his life could have gone very differently. Today he's in recovery, settled, and using everything he's been through to support people facing the same battles.
Here, Jamie shares his journey - from a childhood without stability, through drug dependency and prison, to a life now built around his recovery and helping others find theirs.
A childhood without stability
Jamie's early years were chaotic. At four years old he was placed into care after being abandoned at school by his mother, and he spent his childhood moving between care homes and boarding schools with little emotional support. His father's substance use and the neglect he experienced at home deepened a sense of rejection that stayed with him for years. He began using substances at just five - starting with inhalants and later moving on to heroin and crack cocaine - and puts much of his drug use down to unresolved trauma and the absence of support when he needed it most.
Addiction, prison and a first turning point
As Jamie's substance use escalated, so did the consequences: criminal behaviour, and time in prison. A key turning point came in 2011, when he was sentenced to five and a half years following a violent incident. It was during that sentence that he first engaged properly with recovery - including the Marsh Programme, which introduced him to the 12-Step approach - and began to build a foundation for change.
After eight years of sobriety, Jamie relapsed in October 2020, under the emotional strain of caring for his partner through serious illness. The relapse led to a recall to prison in January 2024. Hard as it was, that period gave him the space to reflect, and the motivation to recommit.
Recovery, on his own terms
Jamie's recovery has been a process of self-discovery, addressing the root causes of his drug use, including trauma and his mental health. Since his release he's engaged consistently with support services, worked with sponsors, and completed step work, finding clarity, freedom and real pride in how far he's come. And he's clear about who he's doing it for.
My recovery is personal. First and foremost, it's for myself. I'm not doing it for police, probation, courts, prisons, partners or my children. I'm doing it for me.
A life rebuilt
Today, Jamie's life looks very different. He's secured stable housing, created a peaceful home, and built a routine that protects his recovery. He manages his finances, looks after his physical and mental health, and has found genuine purpose in supporting others.
He now volunteers with the Hep C Trust, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership (AWP) and WithYou, drawing on his own experience to help people in the criminal justice system who have complex needs. One moment captured the scale of his transformation: while supporting a client in court, he came face to face with his former probation officer - no longer someone in the system, but someone helping others through it.
WithYou has been amazing for me. They gave me a platform, a sense of purpose, a sense of direction.
What Jamie wants others to know
Jamie is candid about what made the difference: taking responsibility, being honest with himself, and being willing to ask for help. He encourages others to face the root causes of their substance use rather than the symptoms, and to take recovery — and the services there to support it — seriously.
"The biggest thing I can say to people is that it's not a weakness to ask for help."
For Jamie, recovery isn't about meeting anyone else's expectations. It's about building a better life, and facing what comes head-on.
“I’m clean, and I’m sober, and I’m happy. I’m starting to get happy. I’ve got direction, I’ve got stability. I’ve got something money can’t buy. That’s real self-respect, self-esteem, direction, like clarity and vision. Change is possible, isn’t it?”
Want to learn more about our support in North Somerset? Visit wearewithyou.org.uk/local-hubs/north-somerset