Heysham man who recovered from drug addiction tells his inspiring story at Number 10

Tuesday, 25 April 2023 13:42

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

Dave Higham (right) with Simon Fell MP and Ged Pickersgill outside Number 10 Downing Street

A Heysham man who turned his life around after 25 years of drug addiction has told his inspiring story at Number 10 Downing Street.

Dave Higham visited the Prime Minister's official home on Monday to talk about The Well Communities - an organisation he co-founded locally to help others recover from drug and alcohol addiction.

He met with the Minister for Charities and spoke about the importance of 'lived experience organisations' like The Well, which are run by people who have lived through addiction themselves.

Dave was in the grip of drug addiction for more than 25 years but has now been in recovery for 17 years.

He said visiting Number 10 had been "a great experience".

"It was great to be recognised for the impact we have on our communities and how valuable we are," he said.

"We went into the cabinet room where they hold all the big meetings and it was really interesting to see where all the big decisions are made."

Dave and his colleague Ged Pickersgill were invited to Number 10 by Simon Fell, MP for Barrow and Furness.

Ged came through The Well's recovery programme himself and is now business development manager at the organisation.

Dave set up The Well Communities with his wife Kerrie, who also broke free from drug addiction to be awarded an MBE for her work helping others with recovery.

In 2022 they were invited to the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Party at Buckingham Palace as recognition for their work in our local area.

Last year Dave also released a book 'Rat Hell to Rat Park: The Core Conditons for Recovery' to help people to understand how to break free from the cycle of addiction, crime, mental health and trauma.

Earlier this year he spoke about his book on a visit to the United Nations in Austria, where he was a guest of the 66th Commission on Narcotics Drugs in Vienna (see below).

Speaking to Beyond Radio in 2022, he said: "(The Well Communities) was set up because of my own dysfunctional upbringing, turning to drugs at the age of 12, and then from the age of 16 entering the prison system.

"From the age of 16 to 37, I spent more time in prison than I did in the community. I was a prolific offender, I had mental health issues, and I was just stuck in this cycle of addiction and couldn't get out.

"I ended up getting four and a half years (in prison) and was sent to Lancaster Castle, and it was there where I found a programme that addressed my addiction, and addressed the core issues of why I used in the first place. Since I did that programme I've never used since and I've been clean and abstinent for 17 years.

"Usually society writes off people like me, who are chaotic drug users and offenders, and a menace to society. But once I found recovery, instead of going back to Liverpool I stayed local, I volunteered in different services, then got a job and worked in services for six or seven years.

"I realised that we needed to create (an addiction recovery organisation) in the heart of the community, I came up with the idea of The Well, I opened in Lancaster Boys and Girls Club in November 2012. I had to fund (it). Nobody believed in an ex-prolific offender and addict. So we started from there."

Dave (pictured here in London on Monday) eventually decided to work full-time at The Well, as the organisation went from strength to strength.

"Now we cover nearly the whole of the North West," he said.

"We have 50-odd staff, with recovery housing, we work in the hospitals, prisons, GP surgeries. The Well has just grown and every one of us has that lived experience, and that's what makes us unique. If you want to break free from crime and addiction, The Well is a place where you can do that.

"I met Kerrie the first month I got out of prison and we've been together ever since," said Dave.

"Kerrie was a heroin addict and used heroin in Lancaster and Morecambe.

"She broke free from addiction when I came out of prison. The work she's been doing; we set up all online services when the pandemic hit, we created a seven-day service, and she works flat out. She's a Trojan.

"She's put absolutely everything into this organisation and she rightly deserved that award, for that passionate way that she helps people, to stop people dying in our local community. I'm proud as anything of her."

There are around 5000 members of The Well, which provides supported 24/7 accommodation for recovering addicts, including in Morecambe, and runs support sessions.

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