07/09/2026
Did you know that when you speak to our recovery workers, you may be speaking to someone who's faced similar challenges?
Before becoming a recovery worker, Toni knew what it felt like to walk through the door, ask for help, and wonder what happens next. During lockdown, Toni was physically dependent on alcohol and terrified of asking for support. Alone in a new area with a toddler and a newborn, she agreed to her two youngest children going into foster care while she sought support.
It took everything she had.
In December 2022, after saying goodbye to her children before the holidays, the pain hit her on the bus ride home. She knew something had to change.
Following a week-long detox and a residential rehabilitation programme, Toni attended her first peer-support meeting, and stayed.
Five months later, on the day before her birthday, she was reunited with her children full time.
Today, Toni supports others on their recovery journey at WithYou (in South Ayrshire). She knows what it feels like to sit across the desk from a worker and wonder if you'll be judged. She knows the immense courage it takes to ask for help.
"The best part is my kids know I help people now. They'll never see me the way I was. That's what keeps me going."
Toni's story is a powerful reminder this that change is possible. We're so proud of how far she's come, and her commitment to using her lived experience to help others. 💙
