Drugs & Family

Haddenham on 23 April was the venue for a meeting about drugs and family. Two guest speakers were invited to speak at the event from a users and parents point of view, which they both did very well.

The first to speak was Simon Hayday, about drugs and the dark places they took him. Simon spoke as an ex-user and his perspective on drugs was firsthand experience. Simon told the gathering how he became involved in drugs and how it changed his life. Simon had used drugs for many years from the age of 13 or 14 until he was 36. Simon had been involved with a group of young people who identified themselves with the 'Mod' scene. Simon was the type of person to try anything once, and so he did. Simon used amphetamine's (speed) for a number of years, he then moved on to use heroin. (This is not a natural progression and not all speed users use or go on to use heroin). Heroin use led Simon to a very chaotic time in his life. Simon described a few incidents that happened during this period, including a near fatal stabbing of himself by another drug user.

Simon's description of events in his life story is very hard-hitting and an educational insight into the life of a user. Simon spent time in prison and is able to use his experience as a educational tool to help in drug prevention work. Simon works for SMART CJS, which is a new kind of substance misuse organisation that directly engages drug users through their contact with the criminal justice system. SMARTCJS currently works throughout the Thames Valley including Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, they can be contacted through there website: www.smartcjs.org.uk

The second speaker of the evening was by international best selling author Elizabeth Burton-Philips. Elizabeth has written a book titled 'Mum can you lend me twenty quid? what drugs did to my family'. Elizabeth gave a very moving talk about her experience as a mother of twin boys who used drugs. Elizabeth's story was accompanied by pictures of her sons and how drugs had impacted on their lives eventually tragically this led to the death of one of the twins, Nick.

DrugFam/The Nick Mills Foundation was established in August 2006 by bereaved mother, Elizabeth Burton-Phillips. Her surviving son Simon, now drug free, also helped to set up the foundation in memory of his twin brother. Their aim is to ensure no family is left living in isolation, fear and ignorance of any local & national support. They can be contacted through their website along with details of her book and how to obtain a copy are to be found on the website www.twentyquid.com

BucksDAAT are currently undertaking a survey of drug and alcohol misuse within the family. If you would like to be part of this survey by completing a questionnaire please contact BucksDaat through the website www.bucksdaat.co.uk