“My first couple of days here I relapsed and I was back using drugs again after being clean like all year, I’d relapsed. I was trying to hide it and me and ‘big man’ got in an argument in the van, yeah, to the point he got really angry and was like slapping the steering-wheel. … More Jax says: “I like being at LandWorks coz I feel like it’s my safe space.”
“…coming out of prison it’s just hard to get work because most places won’t take you on with a criminal record so, I’ve been struggling really hard with that and just, my motivation was just going down and I was feeling a bit depressed. I wasn’t really doing much, so this has given me like … More David says: “I love the fact that we all sit around one table and like we all have like discussions and talks about like different things, it’s never always the same thing…”
“I like being around non-judgemental people and when you’ve just recently been found guilty in court of wrongdoing, a lot of people around you in your life, people that read it in the newspaper, all like to take that opportunity to put you down and hold it over you, so it’s quite refreshing to be … More Stef says: “The bit that’s hardest to quantify isn’t to do with producing things for LandWorks. So, it’s not really the bit that’s ticking your hours off, it’s the bit in between where the magic happens.”
“So after coming out of prison I thought my life was gonna be amazing, […], I would go back to normal life but without the stresses and the dramas of being on bail … that wasn’t the case. […] With all that, my mental health, you know, I came out with such, you know, great … More Cherry says: “one thing I struggled with, coming out of prison, is feeling like I was being judged by everyone.”
“I was so nervous, I just didn’t know what to expect. I just didn’t know anything. I did go online and watch the film. I cried my fucking eyes out, I was just crying all the way through it, you know, I just thought it was the whole thing, it was fantastic, you know, the … More Kara says: “I just thought oh my god, I can be like you, I can do it as well.”
“I’ve been here a bit longer than the usual six to nine months. Chris has helped me out with that coz yeah, I had to put things in place but I’m a lot more positive and confident leaving now… I mean I’ve got a little job; I’ve also applied at **, which looks good. I … More Patrick says: ‘LandWorks; what I always liked about it, it’s just … you know you can come here and feel safe.”
“Jarvis brought me to LandWorks. Now, it’s gonna sound quite weird but at first they were like how about you go LandWorks, you try this, you try that … I was like nah, f*** it, that ain’t for me because it was like woodwork, gardening, pottery, I was like no, I don’t like getting dirty, … More Jax says: “LandWorks is doing something right. It’s gave me a new purpose…”
“I came to LandWorks so I could get out a bit more. To learn new stuff. Probation brought me to visit. It was good. Felt like it was a good atmosphere. I was nervous meeting new people. Yeah, I was nervous about meeting new people, but once I met them, I’m ok. I get the … More Stan says: “I tend to sit and listen to see if I can trust ‘em. I don’t wanna hang onto people that would be annoying, but lucky enough here, nobody’s annoying. Now I’m on the right path.”
“It’s been great being here. It’s ticked so many more … not ticked boxes, that’s the wrong thing to say there, it’s been educational for me and enriching for me to be here with you guys. It’s really filled parts of me that I didn’t, you know, that I didn’t even know. It’s just the … More T-bunny says: “We all get hiccups and glitches don’t we, like you know, but it’ll be alright.”
“I’ve still been coming here twice a week, which I love coming. Yeah, I do like coming here because it’s something … what am I trying to say? It’s something positive in my life coz where I come from. I’ve gotta try and do more positive things, plus I’ve been doing a lot on my … More George says: “When you’re in a rut and you’re taking drugs you don’t do things like that, you don’t hardly eat anyway, so doing this is like getting back to normal…”
A window into LandWorks 