Calls for tougher sentences, Britain’s ‘soft’ prisons and a crumbling and insensitive justice system are topics which never fail to grab the headlines.
It is estimated that nearly half of all convicts released from prison reoffend within just 12 months, costing the taxpayer between £9.5 and £13 billion each year.
Worryingly high reoffending rates, coupled with criminals routinely avoiding prison sentences, begs the question whether convicted offenders can successfully leave a life of crime behind and reform rather than reoffend.
Self-confessed ex-offender, ex-drug addict, ex-drug dealer, ex-womaniser, ex-woman beater, ex-steroid abuser, ex-hater of society Darren Armstrong, from Bolton, turned his life around after a chance encounter with God.
Living on the streets at 14 and dependent on prescription drugs from the age of 16, Darren slowly spiralled out of control, eventually serving a few stretches in prison.
“My life was a mess to be honest,” the 38-year-old admitted.
“I was taking drugs and just had a bad attitude. I was angry my mum had let me down, the most important woman in your life, so I had a big chip on my shoulder.
“Anger and drugs don’t mix very well, but I’m not angry anymore.”
After feeling compelled to attend church at the age of 28, things took a turn for the better as Darren started on his path to recovery.
REHABILITATION: Darren (third from left) with other former offenders
“I went to church on the off chance but it was all part of God’s plan,” he said.
Three months after that decisive moment, Darren was drug free and a student on a sports development and fitness college course, leaving two years later with a BTEC National Diploma.
With a renewed sense of self-worth, faith and outlook on life, he then completed a three-year sports development course at the University of Bolton.
Darren said: “I treated it like a nine-to-five job and after three years I was one out of three to graduate in a class of 24.
“It was the most amazing achievement for me without any crime and drugs involved.”
Empowered to help others transform their lives, the father-of-five founded the Be Strong project to support offenders upon release from prison.
“The Be Strong project was what I needed when I was struggling,” Darren said.
“Everything you do in prison, gym and eating a balanced diet, are all gone when you leave prison and you are left to fend for yourselves. There is nothing to maintain your rehabilitation.”
Combining supervised physical training with mentoring support, the structured rehabilitation programme equips offenders with the tools to enable them to cope with life outside of prison.
The programme, available to over 18s, receives referrals from the prison and probation services as well as self-referrals.
Participants are offered free personal development sessions, gym membership, cinema outings and optional bible study classes to encourage them to improve their lifestyle and distance themselves from former patterns of criminal activity.
The project also offers housing within the Be Strong house, though plans are in place to relocate from the Bolton dwelling to a larger property.
After meeting regular churchgoer Darren at Kings Church, on Millfield Road, Mark Emerson became involved with the delivery of Be Strong’s personal development sessions and weekly bible study classes.
The 47-year-old business consultant, who has worked alongside Darren for the last year, said the project was a ‘fantastic safety net’ for reintegrating ex-offenders into the community.
“Most are quite closed off, isolated and uncommunicative – there’s no one else and nowhere else for them to go,” Mark said.
“Some are socially stigmatised and need a second chance.
“It’s about understanding they have a value, they are loved, needed and not worthless or they will never amount to anything, they are unique and can make a change.”
With many ex-offenders back on track and returning to employment, Mark explained that the Be Strong project has had a great successs rate.
Crediting ‘humble lad’ Darren, Mark said: “Darren is the spearhead and the ultimate role model. He has been where most of these people have been, if not worse.
“Instead of being the problem, he is being the solution. He is trying to help because he has been there.
“Just spend a day with him and see the good he does and how effective the project can be.”
Kings Church Pastor Derek Smith, 48, also extended praise for Be Strong founder Darren.
SUPPORT SYSTEM: Supporting offenders once they’ve left prison
“Darren has been to prison, done his time, admitted he was wrong, had a process of rehabilitation and now wants to put something back into the community, instead of taking,” he said.
“What better role model – Darren was driving round Bolton selling drugs and now he is driving round Bolton helping people.”
Dedicated to Be Strong members around the clock, Darren volunteers all his time to the programme and consequently is unable to engage in full-time employment.
With a lack of funding available for Be Strong, together with the increasing costs of running the project, total reliance on fundraising is beginning to take its toll.
Darren said: “It’s a challenge – my wife works two jobs and I work 50 or 60 hours a week.”
Yet Pastor Derek explained that as Darren is totally committed to the programme, there would be a massive cost to the community if he focused his efforts on securing alternative paid employment.
“Lads would reoffend and get into all types of trouble,” Pastor Derek said.
“This is exactly what they need when their life is chaos. Their relationships are not based around alcohol, drugs and a destructive lifestyle.”
Having celebrated both his birthday and Be Strong’s third anniversary on January 17, Darren hopes to train ex-offenders as key workers to continue the success of the programme.
He said: “The vision is to see the project rolled out in different towns so that more people can access the activities.
“I want the project to be for ex-offenders, run by ex-offenders – that’s my dream really.”
For more information visit www.be-strong.org.uk or email [email protected]
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