Shaun's story

Shaun is electrical engineer who lost everything when his drinking spiralled out of control.

Shaun Murphy says the local Salvation Army saved his life and without its help he wouldn’t be here today.

The 59-year-old worked and travelled all over the world in places such as South Africa and Saudi but he couldn’t beat his alcohol addiction.

He said: “I was very young, just 16, when I started drinking. I was an electrician by trade and working away from home. There was a lot of encouragement for me to drink when I was working overseas. There was no permanence for me.

“I was in relationships but they broke down, because of the nature of my work and because of my drinking. It was a vicious circle.”

In his mid-20s Shaun progressed his career and gained an HND in electrical engineering and acquired positions at home and abroad but could not settle.

He said: “I had really good jobs but I couldn’t see them through.”

On a bad day he could down a bottle of whisky or vodka.

He said: “I was absolutely wasted. It had a terrible affect on me mentally, physically and spiritually. I had no hope.”

The turning point came when Shaun lost a flat he had in England and was living rough.

He sought help from a homeless unit who suggested he move to Scotland to get the help he needed. He took their advice and came up to Edinburgh in 2006 but fared no better there. Then the Salvation Army said he should try their rehab unit at Fewster House in Greenock — and at last he found recovery.

He said: “They ran a 12-step programme of complete abstinence. It saved my life.

I would have probably ended up dead if it hadn’t been for Fewster House. I needed the support and I couldn’t get it anywhere else.”

Shaun stayed at Fewster until it closed and then a floating support service helped him secure a flat in High Street.

He’s now enjoying his life of sobriety in his new home town and his mum also moved here in 2013 after his father died.

He said: “I like the friendliness of the people. I like the scenery and the walks along the Esplanade, the Clyde Estuary and the view of the Argyll hills. It’s total peace.” 

SNP MSP praises Salvation Army's Scottish Election 2016 film project

A Salvation Army film project has been giving people at risk of being made homelessness the chance to quiz politicians on the issues affecting them.

Service users at The Salvation Army's Greenock Floating Support Service – which provides housing support to adults with addiction issues – got the chance to come up with some questions for local SNP MSP Stuart McMillan.

The event was the latest part of The Salvation Army's Scottish Election 2016 film project – a series of short films that will be used to highlight the main political parties’ responses to issues highlighted by the church and charity's frontline services. The issues are: drug and alcohol misuse, homelessness, employability, older people, and debt. The series of short films will be released on social media in the weeks before the Scottish Election on May 5, 2016.

Leaders and representatives from the five main political parties have accepted an invitation to visit a frontline Salvation Army service that deals with one of the issues in the films.




Stuart McMillan, MSP for West Scotland, said: "As the SNP representative in The Salvation Army's film project, it has been a hugely interesting experience.

“I'm well aware of the wide range of services The Salvation Army provides in Greenock and across Scotland. I've always been greatly impressed by this work and I know that it genuinely helps people get their lives back so they can contribute in a positive way to society.
"The public sector can't solve every single issue and this is where organisations like The Salvation Army have a huge part to play in our communities."

Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Roberts, The Salvation Army's Assistant to the Secretary for Scotland, said: "This is a great opportunity for The Salvation Army and our service users to ask the questions that matter. For example, one issue that has come up among our service users is the availability of sustainable tenancies for vulnerable adults.


“It has all the hallmarks of being an interesting discussion and everyone at The Salvation Army is looking forward to it.”



One service user who got to put a question to the MSP was Shaun Murphy. Shaun has been with The Salvation Army since 2007, starting out at its former Fewster House service in Greenock before being supported into his own flat.

Shaun asked Mr McMillan if the Scottish Government would consider banning alcohol advertising in public. Mr McMillan replied that the matter was a reserved issue for Westminster but added that the Scottish Government would continue to press the UK government to do more around marketing and advertising.

Shaun said: "It was good to be able to put our questions to Mr McMillan. I'm pleased to be able to take part in this kind of thing with The Salvation Army because I wouldn't be alive without their support over the years.


"I'm originally from Lincolnshire but now I've made a life for myself in Greenock. So much so that when my dad died in 2013 my mum moved up to live permanently. Now we both go to The Salvation Army's church service every Sunday."

Greenock Drug and Alcohol Work - A story

Today we hear from Alan and his story about the work at Greenock


.. Alan, Greenock

I have had quite a journey since I first came into contact with the Salvation Army and without them I know I would not be here today to tell you about it.

I had been evicted from my flat, lost my family, job, dignity and self-esteem, all due to my alcoholism. I was suicidal and did not see any future for me at all.

Social Work referred me to Hope House, an environment that I knew nothing about. I spent almost 3 months there, at what was the worst time in my life.

The staff at Hope house continually tried to motivate me and never gave up on me. The chaplain put lots of time and energy into trying to help me. It is only now when I look back that I am grateful that they never gave up.

At this point I still needed alcohol everyday and I was a physical wreck, I was also mentally and spiritually bankrupt.

I had reached my gutter and it was then that staff informed me that if my conduct continued I would be asked to leave. (Looking back they were right: my behaviour was totally unacceptable.) My reply to this was ‘what do you want me to do?’ (I was beat)

Staff then took the time to speak to me and gave me some options. One of these options was Fewster House and the beginning of my path to recovery. The staff team threw their support behind me and ensured that I took up my place at Fewster House.

At Fewster House I learned about myself, my actions, responsibilities and the affect that my addiction had on myself and those around me. I learned to deal with issues one day at a time and started to build a life in recovery.

There were still many hurdles and anxieties to deal with: in particular moving into accommodation in the community.

This is when Greenock Floating Support Service came in. They worked with me to find appropriate accommodation and to support me through the transition of moving from Fewster House to a shared house (3 people) in a fantastic tenement in the west end of Greenock.

As well as supporting me to deal with any tenancy related issues they also continued support with my alcoholism. They never gave up on me and allowed me to see the potential within myself. I started volunteering at a Salvation Army shop and also went back to college to retrain and educate myself.

Now I am looking to get to work and to move to my own tenancy. I am at the final stages of hearing about a position with the Scottish Drugs Forum which will give me a paid placement to complete my SVQ in Social Care.

After 2902 days of sobriety, I am still taking it one day at a time.

Words can’t convey my gratitude or appreciation to the staff of the Salvation Army as they saved my life. They also supported me to see that I could have a future.

Thanks for not giving up on me.

Alan.