I moved to Treneere with my Mum and three brothers when I was 12. It was the fourth time we had moved house and I hated it and felt really depressed. I didn’t know anyone and I had missed loads of school because we had kept on moving. I didn’t want to make friends in case we moved again. Our house was too small and I had to share a room with two of my brothers.
“In the summer holidays we were just left alone all the time”
My Mum was at work or out all the time. When I came home from school I was supposed to mind my brothers but they didn’t do anything I told them to. In the summer holidays we were just left alone all the time. One day I just took a bottle of
vodka from my Mum’s bedroom and drank it. After that I drank alcohol when I could get it. My Mum would come home and go mad and kick me out until I sobered up. I started missing school and getting into loads of trouble with the teachers.
One day when I was 14 I saw a load of people meeting up to go swimming. One of them asked me if I wanted to go but I didn’t have any money or a costume. But it didn’t matter as the workers had brought spare towels and stuff. I went swimming and then we went back to Trelya for some food and to listen to some music. I didn’t like Trelya at first, they wouldn’t just let me do what I wanted to do but they kept on asking me to come back the next week to do something else.
I did some singing with Trelya and really liked it. I went into the Trelya show at the Acorn Theatre and it was amazing to be on stage like that. My Mum didn’t come to watch but everyone at Trelya said it was really good. Some people from school were in Kids R Us, a youth theatre company and I wanted to go. I had to go to Trelya every week and not get into trouble for three weeks before they would help me to go. Now they bring me to rehearsals every week and I think I’m going to be in the next show.
“…they help you when you need help…
I don’t drink as much anymore and I don’t fight with my Mum or the teachers as badly as I used to. I want to go to college, get a job and my own place to live and be able to buy my own things. They’re not your friends at Trelya but they help you when you need help and don’t put up with any messing. My little brother goes to football with Trelya and he’s getting really good.