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Work Programme contract, and we
continue to support thousands of
people in the UK and overseas
through our work.
In fact, both the Department for
Work and Pensions and Skills
Funding Agency recently confirmed
there was no evidence of fraud on
any of the contracts they had audited
which they hold with us. This means
our customers and government
funders can have full confidence in
our organisation.
Contrary to the statement in the
article, prime providers are not
‘incentivised in a way that promotes
quick cash generation on outcomes’.
Instead, unlike previous programmes,
the Work Programme operates a
payment by results system for
supporting people into employment,
and keeping them there. Simply, we
are only paid if we succeed.
Mr Lodhia also asks whether
prime providers would support ‘a
recovering drug addict… who may
take longer to deal with’. I can state
emphatically that we do, and we take
this responsibility very seriously. We
work closely with a supply chain of
more than 200 partners, 50 per cent
of whom are in the third sector. A
great many of them, including Turning
Point, assist us to offer specialist
help to those who need it.
Like the remarkable story of Jon,
a 33-year-old who came to us on the
Work Programme in Derby after 17
years struggling with a serious drug
addiction. Jon had begun his
recovery and was working hard on
his methadone programme, but was
very low in confidence and believed
that getting a full time job was
beyond his reach.
From October 2011, his A4e
adviser encouraged him to realise his
dream of setting up a small gardening
business. With help from A4e to draw
up a business and marketing plan,
Jon’s company has started trading
and he has steady work. He says he
feels the best he’s felt in years.
A4e is proud to have already
helped more than 1,500 customers
start their own businesses, and
provide specialist support for people,
like Jon, who need it. .
Jane Kerr, A4e regional media
relations manager
CYCLE CHALLENGE
I have recently completed a 247-mile
cycle challenge in 2.5 days from
Wembley to Blackpool.
The charity bike ride was initially
organised by the Evo-Stik Northern
Premier League, targeting a rider from
each of the 66 member clubs. But
with only three riders taking part, the
main sponsors withdrew! This has
meant the chance to raise a
substantial sum has been reduced
and that is why I am writing this letter.
I have been with ScreenSafe for
four years and the aim is to raise
£2,300 – £10 a mile. The charity
works with and for people in the UK
who suffer from multiple sclerosis,
with a vision of enabling people with
MS to live their lives to the full. More
than 100,000 people in the UK have
the disease, which affects the central
nervous system.
I haven't ridden a bike since we
got one for my daughter when she
was 12 (she’s 32 now and I’m 57) so
I thought this would be the perfect
challenge for me! In all seriousness,
it’s for a great cause, and I have
wanted to do something like this for a
long time, so I am asking people to
please dig deep.
It ended up with myself and two
other riders taking up the challenge.
They are seasoned cyclists with the
proper gear – I had only bought a bike
five weeks prior to the event and the
furthest that I cycled in training was
28 miles (sore backside and time
were the problems).
We set off at 8am on Thursday 14
June from Wembley Stadium, arriving
at the Blackpool Hilton on Saturday
16 June at 12.30pm.
The first stage saw us cycling 83
miles to Rugby, and after an overnight
stop we completed a further 115
miles to Warrington. The final day saw
us cover 49 miles.
Thanks to Rick Halsall, Pete
McCormack and the driver Eddie Moore
who helped me through the ordeal.
To sponsor me, please visit:
www.justgiving.com/DavidMackenzie5
4 or to use JustTextGiving by
Vodafone, text JLYF88 £5 to 70070.
Thank you!
David Mackenzie, head of sales and
marketing, ScreenSafe UK
Letters |
Obituary
July 2012 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| 11
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
OBITUARY
JOHNNY
RUTTLEDGE
3 August 1971 – 22 May 2012
Johnny Ruttledge
died in the arms of Jude Duncan – one of the closest of his
numerous friends – on 22 May. Four days earlier, he had turned a visit of many
friends and family into an improvised festival, at which he drummed on a
conga with Julian and James Metcalfe on guitars, banging out classic tunes by
the likes of the Stone Roses.
Having transformed his life from one that saw long periods dedicated to
using drugs, he changed careers and committed himself to helping others for
whom drug use had become problematic. In his own words he studied ‘street
pharmacology at the university of life’ and then, via volunteering in Leeds,
coordinating the production of
The Works
– a magazine for service users in
which one of his coups was to persuade Leeds author of
Urban Grimshaw
,
Bernard Hare, to write a short story – and as a group worker with probation in
Leicester, he enriched many lives.
The irony of developing tongue cancer at the very point when his life was
following such a different trajectory was cruel and it deprived his surviving
father, brothers and wider family (who had seen him during his worst times...
as they turned into some of his best), his former lovers (who continued to love
him) and his friends (far too many to mention) of years with the beautiful, kind,
funny man that he was. Years that he deserved to enjoy many more of himself.
Part of what made him exceptional was his ability to meet people exactly
where they were. For Johnny, this meant steering clear of the drugs he had
most enjoyed, which had ultimately caused him so much grief, but he’d have
had no truck with the idea that someone has to be in ‘full recovery’ for their life
to be of value, in ‘payment by results’ terms, or any others. Indeed, his life
exemplified the stupidity of arguments that value any one approach over
another. He had required everything from needle exchange to fellowship
meetings to become the person he was, and spoke stridently in defence of all
of these and the need to treat people with dignity wherever they were at. Self-
effacing, and never seeming to show self-pity throughout the ups and downs
of his last year, he described his last job as ‘chair warming co-ordinator’. Job
description: ‘I warm chairs for people.’
It seems only fitting to give the last words to Garreth Robinson, one of the
many people he mentored: ‘Johnny was my supporter, peer, friend, and above
all a big inspiration, who helped me achieve what I have. Beyond this, he was
an inspiration to so many people, which shows in the messages he received
before and after his passing. For me he was a lovable guy, and we shared many
things in common: our love of clothes and our shared passion for Adidas
trainers. He would always text me when he heard a new pair was being
released, telling me he had pre-ordered them, which in turn prompted me. On
Facebook, I would often see that Johnny had posted a great music video or an
eBay link to some trainers or, occasionally, rubber underwear. I’m going to miss
the texts, and the banter we had and – being lazy – will also miss him
searching the internet for trainers, comedy underwear and gigs (although he
was good at losing tickets). We travelled together and forged a friendship from
this. Johnny, your passing leaves a void, but thank you for helping me to begin
my journey. I now have to carry on without you; however, you will never be
forgotten my friend, and I know your inspiration will live on.’
A memorial service to celebrate Johnny’s life is planned for 2pm on 5
July at Holy Cross Priory, 45 Wellington St, Leicester LE1 6HW. Should people
wish to make donations in Johnny’s memory, these should be made to the
UK Recovery Federation, an organisation that Johnny supported because it
reflected his values. To donate, please contact Annemarie Ward
annemarieward@ukrf.org.uk or Alistair Sinclair alistair@ukrf.org.uk. The
Johnny Ruttledge memorial award will be launched at the 4th UK recovery
walk in Brighton on 29 September.