Reclaiming life at Greenslate Community Farm

I can’t explain it but I know that it’s the farm that’s changed me.

Susan, Wigan & Leigh

Susan's story

Where did it all start?

“I started drinking when I was in my teens, but that was just for fun. By the time I was 30 years old though, it had become a problem. I remember going on holidays and hiding bottles of pop filled with vodka in my suitcase, as I couldn’t go without a drink.

“Although I was drinking far too much, it was manageable. But then the COVID-19 pandemic came, and my dad passed away. That’s when everything started getting worse. I was drinking a pint of vodka a day and I started living in my bedroom. 

“One day, I was rushed into hospital with alcohol poisoning, and they sent me to a detox unit. I stopped drinking for three weeks, but as soon as it was over and I could go home, I bought a bottle of vodka.

“I was coasting along, but then my mum got ill, and a year after my dad died, she was gone too. That’s when my drinking really escalated. I couldn’t leave home, so I’d ring delivery services and order 6 bottles of vodka at a time. At my peak, I was drinking over 2 pints of vodka a day."

What support did you seek? 

“My brother was really worried about me, and when he couldn’t get hold of me, he gained access to my home to see if I was okay. I wasn’t - and I was rushed to hospital, where I nearly died." 

“After I was discharged, I decided to come to Greenslate Community Farm and I started their 12-week recovery programme."

What is life like now?

“It did the trick. I’m a different person now -  everyone says there’s a change in my demeanour and confidence. It’s the farm that’s done it - the animals, the gardening, the programme, I can’t explain it but I know that it’s the farm that’s changed me.

“I obviously still get cravings, but I’ve got strategies in place now. I do something every single day, I do colouring, and I write poems. I can’t and won’t ever go back to who I was.”