I created Hope and Vision Communities in 2020 with the judge who jailed me. Despite our differences Peter and I share a deep understanding of what it takes to break the cycle of addiction. I spent 15 years in that cycle as a prolific offender with over 400 arrests, 80 charges and 50 convictions. My addiction was the result of unresolved, deep-rooted trauma. Thanks to an offer of grace, I was able to turn my life around. Now I help others do the same.

We work with people who have successfully left treatment for addiction but need a new place to call home. I remember watching men ahead of me in my journey relapse at this point. It was like a cliff edge. That was when I started putting together a plan for the charity using the experiences of the men around me. These men are still a part of the charity today.

Hope and Vision Communities was registered as a charity in September 2020. We rent houses in the Reading area on behalf of our residents, so they have a safe place to go after treatment. We provide family sized homes not multi occupancy housing. There’s a real sense of camaraderie with men cooking meals together and supporting each other through the ups and downs of life. We don’t set a time limit for when they need to leave – it is their home for as long as they need it. We know that if you give someone a place where they can close the door and know that the space is theirs you provide a stable basis for continued recovery.

Along with a place to live we provide a supportive community. Our residents can do life with people they know and trust. They have opportunities to work, volunteer, socialise and re-train. They are kept accountable by people who have the lived experience to understand. They deepen their understanding of addiction in a structured framework which provides the unconditional love needed for long term recovery.

The relationship between Peter and I - as the prisoner and the judge - often comes as a surprise to people, but it shouldn't. I'd like it to bring other people hope because it shows that the divisions which often polarise our world can be overcome and used as a force for good. I now consider the judge who sentenced me to be my friend. We have an opportunity to use this relationship to help others and we'd love your help to do that.

Tony Attwood Founder - Head of Operations and Development