Bradford mum's plea to save support service (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Bradford mum's plea to save support service

9:00am Sunday 12th February 2012 in News

A campaigning Bradford mum, who almost lost her life and children due to her chaotic lifestyle, is warning that others in the district might not be so lucky if plans to axe a vital support service go ahead.

Gemma Lincoln says she was driven to death’s door after being trapped in a violent relationship and addicted to cannabis and amphetamines.

Despite splitting up with her partner and kicking her habit, her children were taken from her due to her living conditions, leaving her at rock bottom, said the 30-year-old, of Allerton.

Now she had decided to tell her story to put pressure on Bradford Council to re-think a proposal that could see the support she got being cut.

Despite getting help from The Bridge drugs project and Social Services, she needed more help and was referred by Bradford Council to Horton Housing for extra support.

Each year the Council spends about £1 million on commissioning that kind of support under its generic floating housing support service. But that service has now been included in a £4,251,000 savings bid and a final decision will be made at the Council’s budget meeting on Thursday, February 23.

“The floating support service is for people like me who don’t just fit in one box,” said Miss Lincoln, who is still getting weekly visits from her support worker. “I was an abuse victim, had a drugs problem and was homeless and needed to get my kids back. I needed that extra support to look on my problems as a whole. Without it, I would have struggled to move on and piece my life and family back together again.

“I was scared, alone and locked in to myself for such a long time, but the extra help I got has given me my voice back. That’s the case for many other people too. Because of that service we have goals and aims and a future again. Those weekly one-to-one visits are a lifeline.”

Miss Lincoln has now been clear of drugs for more than a year, has a comfortable home, is in a new relationship and has been reunited with her children.

She said: “Without that extra support I would probably have still been without a home, without my children, probably depressed and thinking of taking my own life. This service needs saving so it can keep making a difference and saving lives – like it did mine.”

Councillors will meet this Friday to finalise the draft proposals, said Councillor Amir Hussain, the executive member for adult services on the Labour-run authority.

He said: “It’s not cut and dry yet and although I can’t give one hundred per cent reassurance, I can say we have listened very carefully to feedback about this particular service.”