During my final day at
A WAY OUT I started to think back over the years...
I started this charity
nearly 12 years ago with a group of people, passionate and committed to seeing
change in the lives of women and young people in Teesside. We had this crazy
idea that poverty, addiction and abuse shouldn’t exist and we needed to do
something about it. We named the charity A WAY OUT, because we believed there
was a different way for Stockton’s most at risk. We believed that there was a way out of
addiction, poverty and abuse and we could help people find that way
out.
In the early days,
this meant turning up in the red light areas of Stockton with cups of tea and
hot dogs, speaking to young women who were selling their bodies and asking how
we could help. They said they wanted a
drop in centre, a chance to go to rehab, somewhere safe to live and someone to
listen.
We couldn’t meet this
initially, but we prayed and believed and visioned and gradually we became the
solution to some of those needs.
12 years on we have a bespoke day centre; we
have worked with over 6000 women and young people; supported 100’s into
treatment, recovery and rehab; helped 100’s with housing needs; given out 1000’s
of hot meals; and at a
guess, we have given out over 100,000 cups of tea. 100’000 interactions with people at risk,
100,000 conversations that say “you are worthy”,” you are special”, “you are
loved”. 
As I was sorting
through my things, my box of memories to take away with me; the inspirational
message pinned to my pin board; photo’s; thank you letters from clients saying
how much A WAY OUT has meant to them ; an invite to a VIP diner, or audiences
with Ambassadors, Mayors and MP’s. I
noticed, from the corner of my eye, a box of polystyrene cups, just plain white
cups and suddenly the tears fell. I
looked at those cups, and I think back 12 years, re-living my first
experiences on those streets with a polystyrene cup in my hand, pouring tea
and.. laughing. 
When I thought back over 12 years of a
ministry fighting to bring an end addiction, to end poverty and to end abuse, I
heard laughter; I heard happy conversations; I saw smiling faces full of hope; I
saw the fun experienced by children who’d previously known pain; I saw dance classes
instructed by women who were putting a
life of of abuse behind them: I saw donated
clothes being given to a woman who’s body was ravaged by addiction; I saw jokes
being told; I saw hot dogs being given and out and I saw... many, many cups of
tea. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I
sobbed as I realised that somehow, by the grace of God, I was a part of it all.
A WAY OUT has a new
leader now, Genna Wilkinson. She is wonderful.
The charity has an incredible future ahead and I know, beyond doubt,
that the organisation will continue to bring love, hope and freedom for many
years to come. A future of, not 100,000
cups of tea, but millions. I hope you
will continue to follow A WAY OUT’s story and if you would like to stand with
us, why not make a legacy donation via http://www.justgiving.com/awayout/Donate . Mark your donation “legacy gift” and A WAY
OUT will ensure it goes towards making a future possible.www.awayout.co.uk
