I retired from working with Change Grow Live last October. This was after working in the Probation and Sports project and drug alcohol services since 1993.

My Fellowship was in 1997. I went over to the United States to visit intervention projects, prisons, probation services, housing projects, boot camps, rope courses and drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres and projects.

When I returned to the UK, my 49-page Fellow's Report was entitled Can Positive Strategies Help Divert Drug Abuse and Offending Behaviour? It was sent to West Yorkshire Probation Service, West Yorkshire Police and the Home Office, as well as the Fellowship.

My interest in this area came about because up to 1996, I had been working with an organisation called the West Yorkshire Sports Counselling Service. This sports project worked with the West Yorkshire Probation Service. The idea was to involve individuals on probation orders to take part in positive activities that improved their self-worth and motivated them away from criminal behaviour.

Following my Fellowship, I was employed by Harrogate Alcohol and Drug Services and offered positive activities to our service users, including sports and theatre visits.