Read Pete’s Story below
Pete* came to Langley after many years in prison. Starting in the main house he is now in a move-on property, living with more independence in the community. Sharing about being supported at Ashdene he referred to letters or warnings received over the years from staff as ‘love letters’, knowing that they were for his good.
“You know I’ve had more love letters from these telling me off. It’s just a love letter really. They do want the best for you. They don’t want you to make the same mistake, they’re trying to point you in the right direction.”
*Please note, client names and faces are sometimes changed or hidden to protect the people in our care.
The love I’ve got from here. It was unreal. It’s something that… well I’ve never experienced that kind of respect.
What was life like for you before coming to Langley?
My life was all over the place. I used to live for the drink. Morning, afternoon, night. Soon as I opened my eyes I was running down to the off license. First time I got into trouble I was 15, fighting at the football. There was a group of lads and I just wanted to feel part of the family but it was the wrong kind of family.
I just went from bad to worse. I ended up in prison, going from jail to jail for years. That was daunting, but I met some good people in prison, staff who seemed to nurture me.
What was it like coming out of prison and how did Langley support you?
It’s proper daunting coming out when you’ve done a long term. Don’t forget there were no mobiles when I went in. Technology has just took off. I saw this person talking to himself, waving his hands around and I thought “what planet am I on?” – but he was just on a mobile phone.
If it wasn’t for Langley I’d still be going in and out of jail. I had a good member of staff here who used to do keyworking. It was simple things like taking me out to the shops, getting to know Wakefield better. They’d take me down to charity shops to buy clothes and shoes. And I am on the right track now. I know the danger signs, where before I didn’t.
If you saw me years ago, you would have gone: “you’ve got no chance.”
What has been the significance of being shown love?
The love I’ve got from here. It was unreal. It’s something that, well I’ve never experienced that kind of respect. They do care about you. It’s just unbelievable.
And then the love I got from Langley, I’m trying to give it back to another resident who will be in the same situation as me. I take him out and I get him to talk, and you can see the difference, he is coming on. Just to see somebody else transform from a chrysalis to something nice…
I believe in hope, you know. I hang on to that word hope. Because there’s hope for everybody.
What is your life like now and what are your hopes for the future?
If you saw me years ago, you would have gone: “you’ve got no chance.” If somebody said “you’re going to stop drinking”, I’d have laughed at them, but I went to a funeral recently and I met a lot of people from my past and they’ve seen a big change.
Where I am now it’s a half-way house, there are 4 of us in there. My future hope is to get my own place and just live my life out, you know, live my life out and help other people.
I stopped going to watch professional football and I go to watch non-league. And I love it, meeting different people from all walks of life, old and young. Sharing your story and chatting and having a laugh. That was what I was missing in my life. So that’s me in a nutshell.
March this year saw our very first client encounter day, following the success of our staff encounter days last year. We had the privilege of welcoming 20 clients to Hebron Church, in Rochdale, for worship, Bible teaching and prayer. Pete was in attendance on the day and shared his faith and what he enjoyed at the Langley client encounter day with us.
The guy who spoke on the day, he was like me, so we had something in common. I remember him saying he didn’t want to go to school, and at the end of my schooling I was just wild. He had been in prison and a lot of people who have never been in jail can’t relate.
The boxing fascinated me, he used to spar with Chris Eubank, so he must have been a hard nut, but then to hear how he changed his life around…
For me I think it was 1982 when Billy Graham came. I went to church and I thought there must be something in this but I didn’t pursue it.
It wasn’t until further down the line in jail I started to look more into the Bible and it changed me. Not overnight but like a carpenter chipping away, or like the story of the potter. He put me back on the stool… broke me down and built me up again.
I’m half way there now. I do believe there is one God and he must be patient. I have let him down so many times. It reminds of Barabbas. I was a Barabbas because he took my place. He died on a cross which it’s just unreal. He took my place where I should have been. That’s the kind of love that God showed. You know, I think wow. Why did you bother with me?
He died on a cross which is just unreal. He took my place where I should have been. That’s the kind of love that God showed.
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