Ex-con kicks drugs into touch thanks to footy
A FORMER Forest Bank inmate now has his own set of keys to the prison – all thanks to the beautiful game.
Ian Bruty could never imagine wearing an officer’s uniform when he was jailed for supplying heroin and crack cocaine back in 2013.
The dad-of-two had already been in and out of prison several times before for a string of drug and driving offences.
Trapped in the grip of addiction, Ian was transferred to a recovery wing at the prison in Agecroft, Salford. His life then changed for good. While there he met Street Soccer Academy coach Tony Holmes and was convinced to try out the football programme.
The scheme uses football and fitness to engage with isolated people through one-on-one mentoring and education and employment interventions.
Ian served the rest of his 28-month sentence in classrooms learning coaching skills, in the gym doing circuits and on the artificial turf pitch coaching football sessions.
The 36-year-old says it was just the jolt he needed to turn his life around.
“I was a crack and heroin addict and an alcoholic. I would use any drug you’d put in front of me. I’d smoked cannabis since I was a kid.
“I went to the Forest Bank recovery wing and I was put in detox. I met Tony who is an absolute legend. I did my Level 1 soccer training with him.”
After his release from prison Ian immediately checked into the Acorn treatment centre in Stockport. “I didn’t know how to live in a real life situation. I didn’t like being me.”
After three months in rehab he received a call from Tony encouraging him to come and play football again.
“I never looked back. You are taught respect through football. There’s no swearing and we don’t go in for hard tackles. Once we put that kit on we’re all the same. There’s no judgement.”
Ian now works as a coach for Street Soccer helping other former inmates just like him. The scheme has had an incredible success rate amongst former Forest Bank inmates.
Of the 58 inmates who had signed up for SoccerFit and StreetFit, 91 per cent voluntarily chose to continue with the programmes.
While the national average for reoffending in the 12 months after release is 25 per cent, the figure for Forest Bank’s Street Soccer Academy participants was just seven per cent. Upon their release the men are offered continued support over three years while they re-adjust to society.
As well as his work with the football programme, Ian now works two days a week at Forest Bank as a recovery worker. He also works as a community development officer for Bury Council and has even set up two Narcotics Anonymous groups.
“I’m a proper member of staff at the jail. I wear the uniform, have my own keys and can walk about unsupervised. If you want a different life you can have it. There were lads on that recovery wing who knew me and never thought I’d turn out like this.
“It’s about waking up one day and realising if you start you won’t ever stop. I’m a recovering addict threeand-a-half years clean now.”