A north-east mum has celebrated turning her life around after almost 20 years of addiction to drink and drugs.
Julie Forsyth, 36, from Fraserburgh, entered the female residential centre, Benaiah, near Mintlaw, in November 2012 after years of heroin and crack cocaine abuse.
Miss Forsyth said the drugs had wrecked her health, eroded her confidence and turned her into a very fearful woman.
She tried a number of rehabilitation programmes before Benaiah, run by Christian charity Teen Challenge, but had never been successful in escaping addiction.
But last night, after 16 months at the centre, she along with others from it and its male-orientated counterpart Sunnybrae, near Fyvie, “graduated” at a ceremony in Aberdeen.
She said: “It hasn’t been an easy road to recovery but it has been so worth it. Drugs had completely broken me – spiritually, emotionally and physically – until I came to the point where I realised that my life was utterly out of control.
“Today, I am training at the Teen Challenge School of Ministry in England, as I want to be able to love, support and encourage other women who are in the same horrible position as I was just a couple of years ago. I’m also happy to start rebuilding my relationships with my three boys and my family. The future is looking great and I just can’t wait to see what God has planned for me.”
The ceremony took place last night at the King’s Community Church on King Street, Aberdeen, where Miss Forsyth was joined by her family as well as the friends she had made at the centre.
Area manager of Teen Challenge north-east Scotland, Gordon Cruden, said: “It’s always touching to see families come along and celebrate with our graduates – men and women who not long ago were completely lost in addiction. We were particularly delighted to have so many people from across the north-east join us.”
Teen Challenge recently announced that mums battling drink and drug addictions at Benaiah would be given the chance to continue living with their children. Until now, women looking to take part in the residential recovery course faced being separated from their youngsters.