“I ended up here because drugs… Yeah, when I came here … yeah, it was mainly to do with drugs and stuff and just hung around with the wrong people. Yeah, if it wasn’t for this place, yeah, I’d be lost… Yeah, first time I’ve ever been with probation.
I was smoking weed for … I’ve smoked weed since I was 14, yeah 14. I stopped at 18 coz I had a bit of a … it did a funny turn on me, so I took a break for a couple of years, a long time, but obviously I went clean for … so 14 to 18, I was just smoking weed… But obviously, yeah, it was just bad. I think coz I was just young, the mind hasn’t developed properly yet, so of course it’s gonna take a turn on you. I know people now that are my age, smoking it, and they’ve just started seeing things and stuff. Obviously, you can’t say that he’s total shit or he’s rubbish, these things do happen … oh, it’s only weed … it is just only weed but it’s not good…
I didn’t know what cocaine was and when I turned 18, I got introduced to coke. I got introduced to it by my mate, obviously I don’t blame him, but I wish I never knew what it was or anything like that. Things going up my nose, I was just like no, I don’t wanna do that. I always said no all the time, but obviously, you know, I thought fuck it, I’d just split up with my girlfriend or whatever, that I was with since school, so obviously I was like you don’t care, like fuck it, yeah, let’s do it. So, I did that and then that was it, it was going from like a little 20 quid bit … it was going up and up. A little bit would just last for ages, but obviously your tolerance … and it was coming to a thing. That went on for ages. It was just looking bad… Takes lives dunnit, separates them from their family, all sorts. Obviously I think I’m on the right track now…
My probation officer said for me to see if I would like here coz she knew I was struggling with drugs and that. I told her everything. Obviously, she said you know what would be good, for me to come out and actually look at this place, so I did, and I liked it, which ever since it’s been good for me. Obviously I’ve had ups and down. Obviously people see that I’m actually worth something, that I could do well and do good in life. It was friendly … hope, definitely. Do you know what I mean? Like there’s good people. Mainly it’s just like the place, the location. Do you know what I mean? You’re out here, you know, with nature and things like that. I never knew I liked it until … yeah, it’s really good.
I remember my first day. So, it was with Graham, and I was sanding down woods and then when we’d done that for a couple of hours and stuff, we went for a nice walk just to see what everyone else was doing. Yeah, we had lunch together, break together, it was really relaxed, and everyone was just so open with what they’ve done, everyone’s just very supportive and there’s always help there if you need it … just ask. Do you know what I mean? You ain’t afraid to ask for help or anything like that. Yeah, it’s really good. It’s really well organised as well.
It’s what you get out of it after a day here, you know, the positivity. I go home with that. It makes me think twice about using, coz it’s so easy to get in trouble and stuff. You might just feel like shit coz … I think that’s just human innit, just feel like shit and just throw everything away. I’ve been very close so many times, but yeah, this place keeps you going … positively, and the people here are good. I think to be in an environment with positive people helps a person. If everyone was just negative or I can’t be fucked today … everyone does that, everyone has to go work or something and they feel like you know what, I don’t feel like doing that today, but when you’ve got that positivity of people around you, it makes you think like life ain’t that bad. Do you know what I mean? You appreciate where you are. So yeah.
I’ve been doing all sorts. I’ve been doing gardening, cutting grass. I’ve done woodworks, joinery. I’ve done painting. I’ve done cooking. I’ve done planting. I’ve done weeding. There’s so much to do.
My favourite is gardening. Yeah, that would be my favourite. It’s so calming. I think it’s rewarding when you can grow a plant and stuff. So yeah. I think they’ve given me some pots as well, like plant pots to take home. I’m gonna grow my mum some plants, something really nice that she likes, like roses. Yeah, she’ll like that. So yeah, I’m gonna do that for her, coz that’s where you start it from, from a small seed, and then I can start putting it around her garden. Yeah, she’ll like that.
I’ve cooked three or four times, helped Mikey out and stuff. Yeah, it was really good. I like it. I think I’ve always liked cooking. Yeah, I do like cooking. I like cutting all of the things up and stuff. I think it’s like being close to … coz most of it’s grown here. Do you know what I mean? You’re there, you’re cooking it, I’m cutting it and stuff. It’s like we’ve just got this out of the ground, so it makes you think and that, coz when you just go to the supermarket … I’ve never been on a field, planting and stuff, so when we get it here and stuff it’s not like the supermarket and you’re buying it. Do you know what I mean? You’re quite stupid to not know … coz I was, I didn’t really think about does this go … coz I just didn’t know. Now I understand everything and to be honest I think I’m gonna get like … I’m gonna take a course or something up with it. It’s never too late to go to college is it? Actually, in school I did food tech. It was quite a lot of baking. I like baking as well.
The appreciation you get once you do it. Everyone claps at the end of it, and they say well done and thank you. You don’t get that anywhere else, so everyone appreciates that you’ve done food, and you know, everyone pours you a glass of water if you need it or juice if you need it. I just like how they’ve got like breaks of coffee and tea, and at lunch it’s water or juice, you know, but after lunch you can have a tea or coffee or a biscuit. Yeah, I’m a routine person. I like it. Yeah, it’s really good.”
A window into LandWorks 