Thirteen former addicts who have conquered their addictions are now helping others in recovery after receiving an official qualification from Bradford’s largest drugs charity.

For one of the volunteers it was the first qualification he had ever received, and came after he had beaten his own heroin and crack-cocaine addiction.

The Bridge charity launched a recruitment drive for volunteers to help those struggling with addictions late last year and put them through an eight-week training course. They only wanted those who had beaten addiction themselves so could understand the problems addicts faced.

At an official ceremony at Bridge’s Unity recovery centre in Manningham Lane, the 13 were given their official Level 2 Open College Network Award in an Introduction to Working in Social Care.

Jon Royle, Bridge’s chief executive, said: “The reason we use those who have come through addiction themselves is because our clients say they are very inspiring for people who have actually recovered themselves from substance misuse, and it gives them hope.

“I think people who have had a drug problem have a lot to offer other people.

“They are using that negative experience in their life to give hope to other people who are thinking of changing their lives.

“We had 50 of the new volunteers’ family and friends at the graduation event.

“One of the guys was so overawed from being in the classroom, but he really wanted to complete this course and got through to get his award.

“It was the first-ever qualification he had ever had. He thought he had wasted years of his life, but in fact he is using that experience and his recovery to inspire other people and they are all such fantastic role models.”

One of the other volunteers cancelled a trip to Pakistan to do the volunteering course instead.

They will all now start work in the Recovery cafe, abstinence groups, on the needle exchange programme and meeting clients.

More volunteers, who can work a minimum of four hours a week, and have had to have come through addiction themselves, are now being urged to contact Jackie Berriman at Bridge on (01274) 715860.

The charity eventually wants a bank of 50 volunteers to pull from.