If you’d told me 6 years ago that I’d be running a marathon to raise money for the hostel that helped turn my life around- I wouldn’t believe it, never mind knowing I’d soon be Assistant Manager.
Something changed as one day, alone on a park bench, broken and tired, I admitted something I never had before: “I can’t do this anymore. I need help.” This was the starting line of a long marathon towards recovery. That night, I made my way to Sanctuary Trust’s STEP Hostel and met staff member, Jody Rowley for the first time.
I told Jody my struggles- drifting from job to job, never being able to hold down housing, and trapped in a cycle of addiction. I was reliant on alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine. Homelessness had become part of my life; I had slept rough on the streets many times. The longest I ever spent rough sleeping was six weeks, and I hated it—never knowing where to sleep, constantly being woken up and people pretending not to look at me.
During my two weeks at STEP, I started cutting down on alcohol, but it was brutal. At first, I didn’t trust anyone. I was wary of people, convinced they didn’t really care. I had to force myself to believe that the staff were actually there to help me.
I remember meeting a volunteer, who said something that stuck with me: “Every morning, we choose to either kill ourselves or drink. We choose to drink.” At the time, I thought those were the only two choices, I had even picked out a spot where I planned to take my own life. It never occurred to me that there was a third option—to live a life free from substance abuse.
After a few weeks at STEP, I got referred to another Sanctuary Trust project—Halsall House. On the day I visited, I met the manager, Ann-Marie, who would be my keyworker, doing 1-1’s with me an assisting me with my recovery. She showed me around and showed me to my room. It dawned on me that moving into Halsall House, an abstinence-based project, was going to be a big deal. Did I want to keep living the same way, or did I want to take the terrifying step of quitting substances completely?
On July 23rd, 2019, I said yes to my first night at Halsall House. That decision changed everything.
At first, I hated receiving support. Relying on others felt impossible. But the more I opened up, the better things got. Over time, I started trusting the staff. They encouraged me to keep busy and rebuild my life. I began volunteering in soup kitchens & Sanctuary Trust’s charity shop.
It wasn’t easy. I saw other residents relapse, and it frustrated me. But instead of spiralling, I started talking to staff about it. I got happier. I got stronger. Eventually, I began volunteering with Sanctuary Trust’s Rough Sleeper Initiative, helping people in situations I knew all too well. My keyworker, Ann-Marie, noticed how calm I appeared, talking to others who had been in similar situations to me.
That’s when I realized—I liked this work. Helping people felt right. I went back to college and completed a Health and Social Care course, something I never thought I’d do after dropping out years before due to addiction. I kept proving myself, and Ann Marie offered me some bank staff shifts. During lockdown, I worked with rough sleepers in hotel accommodations. Helping others and giving back became part of my reason for recovery. I had found my place.
Then, in February 2021, Jody—the same staff member who welcomed me at STEP—asked me to become a support worker at Halsall House. The hostel that saved me. I was so grateful for the chance to help others, and that staff at Sanctuary Trust believed in me, despite my past vulnerabilities. I wanted the lads at Halsall to know they weren’t alone. Sanctuary Trust saw value in my lived experience of homelessness, and recognised that sometimes, there is no one better to teach recovery than someone who is running the marathon themselves.
In August 2022, Ann-Marie—who had once been my keyworker, the person who helped me through the hardest parts of my recovery—asked me to co-manage Halsall House with her. Now, we run it together. I manage rent, health and safety, wages, reports—I do the things that once felt impossible. I also work for Sanctuary Trust’s Wellbeing Service, helping people on probation find support.
Every time I show a new resident around Halsall House, I make sure they know my story. I tell them, “That used to be my room.” I want them to see that change is possible. That all the suffering of recovery is worth it.
One day before moving into Halsall House, 22nd July 2019, I became sober. That day is my sober birthday, and I celebrate it every year. I’ve been running the marathon of recovery for five and a half years now. If I could go back, I wouldn’t change a thing—because it would have been a waste if I hadn’t made something out of my suffering. The journey is easier now, and it was all leading up to where I am today- passing the baton on to those who are just beginning their journey of recovery.
On April 27th, 2025, I’ll be running the Adidas Manchester Marathon to raise money for Sanctuary Trust. And just like my recovery, I know I won’t enjoy the suffering of running long distance—but it will be worth it. I’m doing it for the lads at Halsall House, to show them that pushing through pain leads to something greater. Every pound raised will be a reminder that hard work pays off, that change is possible.
Donate to support Stephen’s Marathon: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/stephenmanchestermarathon
