Over a decade ago I was practically a homeless and lost drug addict that would often wash and eat at local soup kitchens. At this point in my life, I had no hope and was full of despair. I had also lost all sense of direction in life and was living in what can only be described as a constant fear.
“I drank for happiness and became unhappy. I drank for joy and became miserable. I drank for sociability and became argumentative. I drank for sophistication and became obnoxious. I drank for friendship and made enemies. I drank for sleep and woke up tired. I drank for strength and felt weak. I drank for relaxation and got the shakes. I drank for courage and became afraid. I drank for confidence and became doubtful. I drank to make conversation easier and slurred my speech. I drank to feel heavenly and ended up feeling like hell.”
The day I stepped into sustainable recovery was on the 6th of May 2014, I had only the clothes on my back with nothing but exhausted and broken relationships. Thankfully, one thing i did have was a desire to change and access to a supportive environment and safe place that I could call home for the first-time in years.
Because of this opportunity, I am proud to be able to say that today my life is very different. I have a very supportive wife with children, along with a very clear vision and natural desire to help others who find themselves in similar situations to my once lost and vulnerable self.
My name is Karla Milne and I’m a Registered Nurse. I have been a nurse for 12 years and have worked in various settings including Acute Medicine, Rapid Response, and Rehabilitation and have recently progressed into a more senior role (Sister). I have always been involved in Adult Social Care and decided to follow my dreams to help people in need since leaving school.
Dale and I now have a have a young family of our own together. I have always known about his own lived experiences and fully supported him on his journey to help others who found their most vulnerable self in similar situations. Together we have created Bright Start Homes to carry the message of hope, that you can recover and hard times don’t last.
I believe that there are no limits to what you can accomplish, except the limits you place on your own thinking.
I am a qualified Accountant and business advisor, specialising in working with ambitious companies to help them build successful, sustainable businesses.
The thing I love most about my work is helping people achieve their dreams and when Dale and Karla asked me to work with them, I jumped at the chance.
The passion they have for providing much needed support to others is infectious and their hard work and compassion is enviable.
It’s a privilege to work with such great people, who make a huge contribution to the lives of vulnerable people in our local communities.
I am the female support worker in our Recovery Homes. I have
lived experience with addiction both myself and within my
family and understand first hand how it affects the family
as a whole.
I have professional experience within the Criminal Justice
System and this has allowed me to understand that addiction
shows no discrimination.
My personal recovery has given me the courage to help and
support others and I strongly believe that this is key to my
recovery and the recovery of the people I work with.
I am very grateful I have the opportunity every day to work
within our homes and provide the people I work with a
supportive community that I believe really enhances the
chances of a positive recovery and the start of a new life.
Hello, My name is Olivia, and I am the assessment and referrals coordinator for Bright Start Homes your journey starts here with me.
I love my job and working for Bright start homes. I am a very caring, passionate person with a lot to give.
I have been in the industry since the age of 16, starting off doing mental health in children and young people and then progressing up to my level 4 in health and social care, at the age of 18 I completed my apprenticeship with Bright Start Homes which I gained a lot of experience to then go on to work in a private detox, I soon realised I missed Bright Start Homes and was accepted back in to the amazing community it is.
A lot of people don’t understand why I am in this industry at such a ‘young age’, but this industry holds a close place in my heart. If it wasn’t for places like this, I wouldn’t have my mum here with me today, I have unfortunately lost several family members and my dad due to addiction and suicide and through this it has made me want to make a change.
I am very grateful to be a part of people’s journeys, after all starts can’t shine without darkness.
My name is Simon Lewis, and I am the head of Assets and Maintenance at Bright Start Homes, I manage a team of full-time staff whilst also supporting volunteers, who are in early recovery to practice their own skill set and give them a taste of being part of a community when they move on from our homes.
15 years ago, I too was lost in a world of addiction and homelessness and felt I had nowhere to turn to. I had lost all connections with the people that loved me, hit my rock bottom, then slowly began to access treatment to build a life of recovery. With determination and hard work, I began to achieve this, I gained qualifications that I never dreamed possible since I was unable to read or write. My family become a part of my life again and most importantly I found myself.
Having the opportunity to work at Bright start has given me the confidence and self-esteem to continue to develop my skills and knowledge and this has given me the push to become the person I am today.
Having the support from my wife, family, and colleagues at Bright start, inspires me to embrace the challenges I face. I feel I am a valued member of the team, and I am grateful to be able to spread the good work that we do.
Hi, I’m Emma, and I’m the team lead for our Preston, Chorley, and Wyre provision. I’ve been working in this field for 14 years now, and it’s been an incredible journey. I started out in residential rehabs, where I really found my passion, and over the years, I’ve had the chance to work in all sorts of settings like mental health hospitals and private detox facilities. Each step has taught me so much and helped shape the way I approach the work we do.
I’m fully qualified in Health and Social Care and Counselling, but what I think really makes a difference in my role is my lived experience with addiction. It’s something that’s deeply personal to me, and it allows me to connect with the people we support on a level that goes beyond just understanding the theory. I know what it’s like to face the challenges they’re going through, and I love being able to bring that insight into my work. It helps me build trust and show people that recovery isn’t just possible—it’s worth it.
As a leader, I believe in being firm but fair. I think it’s so important to hold people accountable while also treating them with compassion and respect. At the end of the day, my goal is to create an environment where everyone—whether it’s the people we care for or the team I work with—feels supported, heard, and encouraged to grow. This work means everything to me, and I’m so grateful to be able to use my experiences to make a real difference.
Hi, My name is Craig, and I am the Maintenance Operative for Bright Start homes and I’m one of the guys who come out to meet you when you have any Maintenance issues in your Home.
I have been in Maintenance for over 30 years and have worked with a wide range of people including vulnerable adults , children and people that need my help and support.
I have worked for Bright Start Homes for 3 months now and it has changed my life and how I look at people who just want to make a better life for themselves.
It is not like working for a company, it is more like I have joined a family…… a big family who care and bring hope to anyone that needs it, regardless of the situation they have found themselves in.
And it’s not just carrying out Maintenance, it’s also giving them the opportunity to volunteer, to learn new skills, to feel wanted and to feel they have the help that they crave.
I’m proud but also feel Humbled to work for Bright Start Homes and proud to see how it changes life, and I hope I can spend many years with them and give hope to everyone they support.
Hi, I'm Gary and I'm a recovering addict. I spent over three decades in addiction which took me to numerous rock bottoms, spent time in hospitals, mental health hospitals and prison. I was stuck in constant cycles of drug misuse, which I thought was impossible to escape, often begging on the streets to fund my drug habit.
In November 2023 I went into residential rehab and completed stage one and stage 2, it wasn't easy, but it's been definitely worth the effort, I spent a total of 16 months working on myself, it is then when my time was up and had to leave.
I then moved into Bright Start Homes supported housing where a Housing Officer spotted that I had potential to volunteer in the maintenance department with Simon the Maintenance Manager, when I showed that I was willing to learn, which then led to a full-time position with Bright Start Homes. Now I can share my experiences, strength, and hope with the volunteers and within the houses.
Addiction is a very dark place but there is hope for suffering addicts to escape through guidance from our housing needs, our Housing Officers, I am very grateful to Bright Start for giving me a platform to independent living and employment.