A homeless man who battled cancer and was addicted to drugs and alcohol says moving to Leeds has changed his life in a remarkable turnaround.
Leeds resident Luke, originally from Croydon, South London, relied on alcohol from a young age. At just 19 he would drink heavily and got into a crowd of friends who after work would spend their free time and money on booze.
The London lad had battled and survived leukaemia at a young age and as a result he confessed he found an "escape" and "sense of comfort" in using harmful substances to ease the pain of what he went through. Luke said: "I thought it was normal.
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"For the majority of the time I was holding down a 9-5 job. No one would have known what was happening when I got home each day."
Luke's drinking habits also extended to taking cocaine. He said: "I thought one line and that would be me.
Luke's substance abuse meant he had no money for food and he turned to a soup kitchen for help. As his addiction grew, Luke decided he needed a fresh start. He moved to Leeds and hoped his worries would escape him.
But this move was not as smooth as he had initially planned, and he soon returned to the comfort of substances. Sadly he was left living on the streets.
St George's Crypt, a charity which has been supporting people 'from chaos to citizenship' since 1930, helps vulnerable and homeless adults, and those suffering from substance dependence. The Christian charity is based in St George's Crypt church in Great George Street and albeit a small charity they have significantly helped many struggling individuals.
The charity said: "Fortunately, due to the fast response of the council and St. George’s Crypt, Luke was only forced to live on the streets for two nights before being offered sanctuary.
"Luke is an example of how it is possible to turn around a troubled lifestyle with the help of a swift response from services like St. George’s Crypt." Thanks to the charity, Luke is now on a recovery journey.
He has been staying at Kirkstall Lodge for over two months and has been clean from drugs and alcohol. "He is extremely thankful for the amazing care the staff at St. George’s Crypt have offered him", the charity added.
"Luke is now focusing his free time exploring his life-long hobby of producing music, which he was never able to develop whilst he was so consumed with his addiction. He hopes to make a living out of his music someday soon so that he can afford his own place and spend his free time volunteering to help others in a similar situation to him."
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