April 2012

e Green Light The Amber Foundation helps them to develop their skills and self-confidence and eventually guide them to what they hope will be a better future. Not every case has a fairy tale ending, but in 2010 eight out of every ten young people at Amber left having found a job, started a course or achieved a major goal.

Tom Stock is 26 and having been at the foundation for nearly a year is looking to move on soon.

There is no set length of commitment for most of the young people, with most moving on having been with Amber for an average of six months although this depends on needs and progression of the individual and sometimes this can be longer.

Tom was working as a health care assistant in a hospital, but was heavily into the rave scene and became addicted to drugs.

“You can get swallowed up in it all, and that’s what happened to me,” he said. “Drugs became a way of life. I started smoking cannabis when I was 11-years-old and it went on from there – cocaine, speed, acid, ecstasy – anything I could get my hands on.

“Then I became addicted to heroin and you can’t lead a normal life when you are off your face all of the time.

“I was clean when I arrived here and have tried to stay clean for the year I’ve been here. I had one weekend when I slipped, but I don’t think I could be swallowed up by the whole clubbing scene now as I have been out recently and been fine without drink or drugs.

“Now I’m focused on getting a job, hopefully in retail or customer service. I find it easy to talk to people – I feel I’m a people person.

Left: Amber fundraiser Rachel Bartlett (centre) with Connor Hammond and Jasmine Finnerty.

Below: Marco Pierre White recently visited Amber