Spending Christmas with his son for the first time in over 5 years

Mathew has been with our partners at Mulberry for over 5 years. His life has changed completely.
Prior to coming into Mulberry, during his time at the mental health hospital, they gave him a guitar to try and help him. He smashed it into pieces and was about to attempt to harm himself with one part, when he had a spiritual experience. Something made him drop to his knees and reach out. Within 4 days Mathew was in Mulberry. When Mathew first moved in he didn't want to look people in the eye, he knew very little about recovery and his mental health was an ongoing battle.

But slowly over time this changed.
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Mathew started engaging in all the support Mulberry could offer and with the local recovery community. He became involved in many local art and drama projects, volunteering at a local theatre by helping to set up different projects and overseeing the day to day running of them. He also starred in the shows. Mathew painted the Mulberry recovery hub from top to bottom, including art installations on the walls. He organised an art exhibition where local artists donated their work and opened up the building for people to look around and buy the art with all proceeds going to Mulberry. Mathew is very keen on fishing and now organises regular fishing trips for our residents. He supports all our residents and helps new people into the project, helping them to meetings and find anything if they are new to the area.
Most importantly Mathew has now got contact with one of his sons after 5 years. And this summer he got to take him on holiday to Devon where they fished and surfed together. Mathew has very recently been offered a flat and will be leaving Mulberry within the next few weeks. He has asked if he can continue to volunteer, helping new people and groups. He has so much to give and such a wealth of knowledge around recovery he will be an absolute asset to Mulberry.

Mathew was nominated for the Pride of GP Award, Christmas 2022 of which he was one of the winners! He has been able to move into his own place for Christmas and was thankful for the award;

"Thanks to Green Pastures for all the amazing work you have done with The Mulberry Community Project Blackpool without both of your tireless support in my life I would not be able to get clean and sober for the last 6 years and spend Christmas with my son who I hadn't seen for 5 and a half years in my own council flat. The money will be used for taking my son out to the cinema and food. I will never be able to give back what you both have given me so for that I will be forever grateful. God bless you." Mathew