Russell Pearce from Welshpool is the boxer behind the headline, and following his own recovery journey from alcohol addiction has recently taken on a new role as an Engagement & Support Worker with Kaleidoscope, working to support people who have a drug and / or alcohol dependency in Powys.
We asked Russell to tell us more about his recovery journey, his role at Kaleidoscope and what support is available in Powys for people struggling with drug and alcohol misuse.
Tell us more about the work you do at Kaleidoscope Powys
I’m the first point of contact for most people when they first come in. I do the referral for them and the initial assessment. Referrals then go to the team meetings where people are allocated to a key worker.
When I do my assessments of people I always tell them a bit about my background because they are often nervous or embarrassed. So I just tell them straight away away – don’t worry, I came through Kaleidoscope. And If you’re worried about any of your questions, I’ve answered them before, nothing you say will shock me.
At the moment the key workers are really busy so I’m taking some of the less problematic clients. Hopefully I will go through the training and become a key worker myself.
Across the county, Kaleidoscope supports more than 450 people, and operates four projects.
What led you to this particular role?
I started boxing professionally at 18 after winning a British Championship fight in my teens. I was representing Wales, but my dream career developed into a means of funding my alcohol habit. I would take on difficult fights, knowing I’d get paid whether I won or lost, and then I’d spend the money on alcohol regardless of the outcome.
My addiction to alcohol started as seemingly harmless but it got to the stage where I was drinking too much and much faster than my mates. It was a slippery slope. Before I knew it I was relying on alcohol to feel I belonged – to be outgoing, funny, one of the lads – it just got worse from there.
Drink took over my life, leaving me alone and desperate to continue funding my habit. My desperation reached a peak when I could no longer afford to sustain my lifestyle. With my addiction still strong, stealing alcohol felt like my only option.
Then I came into contact with Kaleidoscope after being arrested for stealing alcohol. People are routinely referred after arrest, but then it’s up to them to follow up and probably 90% of referrals never engage with us, but I decided I’d had enough. Kaleidoscope got me into rehab and that was the start of my recovery.
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| Russell (in the pink tutu!) at his stag party |
Why do you think it is important that people working at Kaleidoscope have lived experience of substance misuse?
Why do people start to become dependent on drugs and alcohol?
It can be anything. There are people who have been through trauma and manage not to go down that road and some people just do. When I was in rehab we used to have our group chats. There were lawyers there who had the occasional lunch-time drink that just got out of control and then there were the people who had experienced severe trauma in their lives.
A lot of the time it’s unseen circumstances. People only see the addiction, they don’t see the background of it, and it can be anything from family fall-outs to relationship failure. Maybe a couple broke up, they’ve only been together for a month, and one partner is really depressed about it and just chose to do the wrong thing. Alcohol, or substance misuse, is just a way of coping with things. So some people have the gym, others go for a run. Others just turn to alcohol and / or drugs.
How does drug and alcohol misuse impact on people’s mental health?
It’s really hard to deal with mental health when you’re drinking because if all you’re doing is to use drugs or alcohol to suppress the kind of emotions and feelings that you have then all that you’re doing is pushing that down. Things can get out of control really really quickly and that’s what people don’t understand. You can put things off, like bills and debts, and things snowball and before you know it you’ve got this weight on you plus the addiction. I used to deal with all my problems through alcohol. I’d end up stealing alcohol and then you have the stress of – have I been seen, or will I get caught?
It’s all of that and on top it’s people’s opinions of you as well. I know from experience that the people that come into Kaleidoscope, or any kind of drug and alcohol agency, aren’t bad people. Once you sit down with them you realise they’ve had a bit of bad luck in their lives. It’s hard to change people’s opinion on that. But they are actually good people.
On popular TV soaps, street drug people or alcoholics, they’re just portrayed as always doing bad things. Even celebrities are shown when they’re looking really haggard after a night out, you don’t see anyone after they’re recovered. And I think that’s why a lot of people don’t come into the service. It’s actually embarrassing to admit the problem and ask for help.
How might the Covid-19 pandemic have impacted on people’s unhealthy use of alcohol?
I think people are drinking more unknowingly. People have been furloughed and they can drink during the day and not really think anything of it. Then their intake slowly increases. It’s the same with the drug side of things. People might have used drugs at the weekend but now they can get away with doing it during the week too.
And I think Covid is a lot of stress for people too. I think that’s what it boils down to – just people’s stress and how they have dealt with it. I know some of my clients have really struggled through it. There are no barriers in place, people have time on their hands, and no one really knows when it’s going to end. You have all day to worry about your bills and some people have had bereavement to cope with too. Then a drink is going to seem very appealing.
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| Russell on his wedding day |
Again, it’s stigma. People see it as embarrassing to admit to this kind of problem. And also not recognising it as a problem. If you ask ten people on the street – do you know what kind of daily alcohol limit you’re supposed to stick to in a healthy world, 8 out of 10 people wouldn’t know the answer.
We get people in to Kaleidoscope through just being friendly. Everyone loves coming into our office. We try to be as normal as we can because we know it’s daunting to come in and admit you have a problem.
Are there particular issues which arise in rural areas like Powys for people with drug and alcohol dependency?
I think a lot of people struggle with rural life. It makes sense – whether they’re cut off from family and friends in the middle of nowhere, so the loneliness, or just because of the way they live and problems with public transport, which means it is difficult for people to have regular access to our services. One good thing that has come out of the pandemic is that we now understand that sometimes phone contact can work.
And now people can drink at home, and when they go out shopping the first thing they see in the supermarket is a big pyramid of crates of beer on sale – which is pretty hard, especially for someone in the early stages of recovery.
Are you working differently, and if so how, to support people due to Covid-19?
So, we’ve been working from home since March now. We are providing phone support to clients. Some of the SMART meetings are taking place online in the evenings with one of my colleagues. A SMART meeting is from UK Smart Recovery, it’s like Alcoholics Anonymous but without the religious side. It’s been nice for some clients to join so they can see other people, especially as some live alone.
From 7 July we have partially opened our doors on a part-time basis in Newtown, Llandrindod Wells and Brecon.
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| Russell with his daughter |
Do you provide support for the families of your clients and if so what?
We will speak to people if they’re worried about their son or daughter or partner – we can have a chat over the phone but obviously everything is confidential so we can’t tell them anything about the client. We normally point them in the direction of Al-Anon – an organisation set up to support the family and friends of alcoholics.
Which other organisations do you work closely with to provide support to people?
We do work closely with the Community Mental Health teams across Powys.
What is the most challenging aspect of the job?
Not being able to help everyone. I think you can’t come into this job with rose-tinted spectacles thinking you are going to change the world and everyone’s going to recover. I think everyone has their own journey – it’s just finding different ways of working with each individual.
One of the hardest things is when people are rude to people with addiction. If by telling my story, here, or on TV and in the paper, I can change a few people’s opinions on addiction, I’d really like that.
And the most rewarding?
Just people saying thank you really. They come into Kaleidoscope, like I did, pretty broken. And seeing them make a conscious effort to change their life – because I know how hard it is to get sober – and it’s really nice and rewarding to see. Next week I’ll be taking a client to the rehab I went to which will be nice – going back. I’ve been back a few times. My best man at my wedding and my ushers were all lads I met in rehab!
And also, on a personal level, being able to tell people what I do for a job after everyone knew me as a national champion boxer who threw his career away.
What is the most valuable thing you have learnt since starting your role?
Probably that everyone’s got a story. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
When you are not working for Kaleidoscope, how do you enjoy spending your time?
I still do a bit of boxing. We’re planning a Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for Kaleidoscope. We had to postpone it this year because of Covid. And I’m starting to learn to play the bass guitar. And spending time with my wife, and Facetiming my daughter who lives in Poland.
And finally
Now I’m a better father, husband, brother and son. I want people to know that addiction can grip anyone, from any background.
But, there is support out there, walk through our doors and you’ll be greeted with a warm smile and a cuppa.
Many thanks to Russell for sharing his recovery journey. You can contact him by emailing: russell.pearce@kaleidoscopeproject.org.uk or phoning: 01938 554013.
We do work closely with the Community Mental Health teams across Powys.
What is the most challenging aspect of the job?
Not being able to help everyone. I think you can’t come into this job with rose-tinted spectacles thinking you are going to change the world and everyone’s going to recover. I think everyone has their own journey – it’s just finding different ways of working with each individual.
One of the hardest things is when people are rude to people with addiction. If by telling my story, here, or on TV and in the paper, I can change a few people’s opinions on addiction, I’d really like that.
And the most rewarding?
Just people saying thank you really. They come into Kaleidoscope, like I did, pretty broken. And seeing them make a conscious effort to change their life – because I know how hard it is to get sober – and it’s really nice and rewarding to see. Next week I’ll be taking a client to the rehab I went to which will be nice – going back. I’ve been back a few times. My best man at my wedding and my ushers were all lads I met in rehab!
And also, on a personal level, being able to tell people what I do for a job after everyone knew me as a national champion boxer who threw his career away.
What is the most valuable thing you have learnt since starting your role?
Probably that everyone’s got a story. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
When you are not working for Kaleidoscope, how do you enjoy spending your time?
I still do a bit of boxing. We’re planning a Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for Kaleidoscope. We had to postpone it this year because of Covid. And I’m starting to learn to play the bass guitar. And spending time with my wife, and Facetiming my daughter who lives in Poland.
Now I’m a better father, husband, brother and son. I want people to know that addiction can grip anyone, from any background.
But, there is support out there, walk through our doors and you’ll be greeted with a warm smile and a cuppa.
Many thanks to Russell for sharing his recovery journey. You can contact him by emailing: russell.pearce@kaleidoscopeproject.org.uk or phoning: 01938 554013.
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