I grew up in Kent and spent the first 20+ years of my life surrounded by drugs, alcohol and gang life. I moved to East Anglia to try and get away from that lifestyle. Following the break up of two relationships and not being allowed to see my kids, I ended up alone, in a one bed flat in Suffolk. I was broken. In April 2017 a work colleague invited me to join an Alpha Course. This proved to be a turning point in my life and was the start to my route to freedom.

I became a Christian but couldn’t break my alcohol addiction so in Dec 2017, I went into a Christian Rehab centre near Nottingham called

Teen Challenge for 11 months. It was there that God broke my addiction and set me free. I got baptised and God gave me a vision for starting a charity to reach those who find themselves in a

similar place to where I was. The approach of Route2Freedom is based upon my experience and my own personal route to freedom.

Since becoming a follower of Christ in March 2012, I have always been drawn to the most marginalised in society. In June 2012 I started to work with those who had drug/alcohol problems & homelessness, a ministry within Burlington Baptist Church where I attend. This changed me massively. It involved taking care of personal needs such as supplying them with food, clothes, sorting out

things like furniture for when they were housed, lifts & at times picking them up from the police station ready to offer support & care. It has been through journeying with them and meeting on a regular

basic that has helped to build trust and enable change to happen. This is why I love working with Route2Freedom because it’s about putting my faith into action and offering long term support and friendship with those struggling in life and

helping them find a route to freedom and a better life.

Ex premier league footballer for Derby county and Fulham fc. I grew up in Croydon before making the move to derby where I lived for 10-12 years. I grew up in a house with just a mother and brother. Which had its ups and downs and I never really knew my father. I am one of many children he had with different women. I was a footballer for about 18 years which was very enjoyable at the start, Football then became less fun the more money I started to earn. I then had a career ending injury which set me back massively. In this space of time my whole life became really crazy, I then got a divorce wasn’t allowed to see my kids lost my job and so I turned to drink to help try and numb the pain I was battling. I started to do some really nasty and silly things. I was always searching to  fill this hole inside me and I tried everything, but the only thing I found that made me feel content and truly truly happy with who I am was JESUS. If you told me 5 years ago this is how my life would be now, I’d say you were crazy. My life is about Jesus. I’ve never been happier now being in Christ and I want to share and help people facing troubled times to find freedom .

I grew up in Ipswich with my Mum and two brothers. My Father was absent so I never had a father figure around me. During my teenage years I suffered with depression and felt so hopeless, I would fill the gap in my heart with quick fixes to numb the pain. For so long I tried to do things in my own strength, thinking I knew better with God set aside as a backup each time. Back and forth in a battle for a while until I realised I cannot keep living two lives.

Then God set me free and I learnt to be intentional in my relationship with God because I realised Gods long term plan is better than mine and will bring genuine happiness, joy and freedom. I realised I have a father in heaven that loves me. He gave me a heart to love and support people. Since then I have worked with children, youth and adults, supporting them and helping them create a better life for themselves. I love witnessing God transforming other peoples life and I volunteer for R2F because I want others to find that freedom in Jesus just like I have.