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Going to Any Lengths

Going to Any Lengths


Audio Version    

Hi my name is Simon and I'm an alcoholic. Before I came into prison in August 2017 my life was a total mess, drinking three litres of white cider and a litre of vodka or another spirit a day. Before long I did something which landed me in prison. At the time I was at my lowest, very depressed and suicidal. I went to prison on remand then went through a detox. I was put forward onto two courses, 'Living safety and Stepping Stones' which I completed.

They gave me the address to AA in York, so I wrote to them. I was at this time going to AA meetings, but the other guys was there for other things and not the meeting. After a while I got a letter from a guy called Richard from AA, a prison postal sponsor. He told me about his life, so I wrote back to him telling him about myself and we still write to each other. In June 2018 I moved prison but I am still writing to Richard. I got a copy of the Share magazine and we donā??t have an AA meeting here. I said to Richard about the SHARE magazine and in a while he started to send me in the SHARE magazine. I see it as well as my letters as an AA meeting. It gives me the strength that I can get help from AA by reading them. I can see myself in some of those magazines.

My aim for the future is to attend AA meetings, carry on writing to Richard and most of all to stay sober and lead a life free from drink. I know the journey will be tough, but I am willing to work in any way to stay sober. I would just like to say there is a light at the end of that very dark tunnel and thank you AA and a big thank you to Richard for having belief in me and seeing I am changing for the better.

SIMON C, HMP

Editor's note:

If you are interested in doing service as a Prison Postal Sponsor, the Fellowship, at the moment, needs male sponsors. Prisoners address their letters to GSO York and the correspondence is then redirected to the sponsor to preserve anonymity. For further information please email-AAInformation@gsogb.org.uk