Shane has turned his life around
Shane now has fiancee, baby and a good job
A FORMER drug addict who has turned his life around with the help of a Hinckley based charity has returned to say thank you for giving him a fresh start.
Twenty-three-year-old Shane Blankley has a beautiful fiancee, a healthy two-year-old son and a responsible job, yet just three years ago his life was spiralling out of control.
From smoking cannabis and drinking as a student, to taking Class A drugs and binge drinking, he ended up homeless and helpless, arriving at the Ashby Road community of Emmaus Leicestershire and Rutland at the lowest point of his life.
In just 12 months, a combination of sympathetic support and tough love from staff and fellow companions, together with the commitment of his girlfriend saw him kick his destructive habits and take up training to get him back into employment.
He has even visited schools to talk to young people in a bid to steer them away from following his path.
Returning this summer to the Hinckley community that he left in 2014, Shane said: “I can honestly say that if wasn’t for the continued support of Emmaus and my fiancée, I would not be where I am today.”
Now a store supervisor for a large supermarket chain, he was joined on his visit by fiancee Laura Roughton and their son Ronan.
The couple, who now live in Barwell, have their own house and are to tie the knot in Novem- ber 2017.
But things could have been very different.
Shane’s life started to go awry when he began experimenting with cannabis and drink as a GCSE student.
He started taking hard drugs and causing problems for his dad and stepmum with whom he lived.
When he crashed his brother’s car after driving it without a licence, he was asked to leave.
A year living with his mum followed but he was unable to resist his addictions and ended up living in hostels before getting a housing association flat through the local authority.
A steady job was compromised through drugs and drink, which ate up money that should have been used for rent and bills, and an eviction notice was served.
Shane said: “I spiralled into a state of depression.
“Luckily my housing association realised that I was in a bad way and referred me for specialist support.
“It was then that I found Emmaus.
“The community helped me massively.
“I wasn’t judged by anyone and after hearing some of the guys’ stories, I realised my life wasn’t as bad as I had come to believe.
“Sometimes what I needed was reassurance and other days it was a kick up the backside.
“It was clear that the drink and drugs had to stop.
“With their support I was able to do this.”
To find out more about the work of Emmaus visit www. emmaus.org.uk