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A Blackpool grandmother has turned her life around after beating a life-time addiction to drugs.

Recovering addict Susan Thompson, 51, took heroin for nearly 30 years, along with other drugs such as LSD and anti-depressants.

After her mother left her when she was 10, Susan turned to drugs as a way to escape.

The turning point came after she learned that her daughter was pregnant. The prospect of becoming a grandmother proved to be the catalyst for Susan seeking help for addictions.

“I hit rock bottom and decided enough was enough,” Susan said.

“The big turning point for me was finding out my daughter was pregnant with my grandson. I couldn’t put him what I put my daughter through and it was time for a change.”

Susan had not looked back, and has now been clean for over a year.

However, Susan’s bid to beat her addiction was made harder by spiralling debts, brought on by her £400-a-day drug habit.

Susan was even forced to sell the house she had inherited from her father to help feed her addiction

But help was available in the shape of her landlord – Muir Group Housing Association.

Susan was put in touch with Wayne Pearson from the association’s Money Advice Team. Wayne sat down with Susan to go through her finances, and the options that were available to help ease her debt burden.

Wayne said:

“It was a real challenge because of Susan’s circumstances.

“Getting clean was at the forefront of Susan’s mind at the time - sorting out her debt wasn’t a priority. The main aim was to get Susan healthy, but there was always some obstacle in her way.

“We had a look at all Susan’s debts, and the different options that were available to her. We worked together to put things in place – explaining to Susan what needed to be paid, setting up a new bank account and direct debit payments. It was all designed to make life easier for her.

Wayne decided that the best option was a debt relief order, which protected Susan from creditors and saw her debts written off, which in turn allowed her to concentrate on beating her demons.

Wayne added:

“Susan was working so hard at getting clean, the last thing she needed was debt hanging over her. We were able to write that debt off and it’s allowed Susan to lead a normal, comfortable life. It has allowed her to literally start afresh.

“She’s a completely different person now. She was really struggling when I first met her, but the change that I have seen in Susan during the short period that I’ve known her has been remarkable.”

Since turning her life around, Susan has gone from strength to strength. She now has her family back in her life, and is helping other vulnerable people by volunteering at a local soup kitchen.

And Susan believes she couldn’t have done it without help from Wayne.



Susan said: “I was nervous at first, but Wayne put me at ease almost immediately. He told me we would sort it out together and now I’m in a really good place in my life. I’m clean and I haven’t got huge debts weighing heavily on my shoulders.

“I am happy for the first time in my life if I am being truthful. I have my family back in my life and I’m feeling fantastic.

“I’m much better now when it comes to budgeting and managing my money – I make sure it lasts me from month-to-month.

“Wayne has been fantastic. He has seen me through thick and thin and there couldn’t have been a better man for the job. I can’t praise him enough.”

Muir’s Money Advice Team are always on hand to help. If you simply want to have a chat about your options, or want a solution to your debt problems, then get in touch by calling 0300 123 1222.