James Cooper, 37, was just 17 when he first tried gambling and experienced the ‘elation of winning’.

By the time he was in his early 20s he was hopelessly addicted to casino gambling and alcohol, thousands of pounds in debt, and suicidal.

After hitting rock bottom, going through rehab, and being given a safe haven at Hope housing in Bournemouth, James has become a support worker for the charity, helping others who have been homeless to rebuild their shattered lives.

He explains: “I had what you might call quite a normal upbringing. My parents were together, and I went to a grammar school. But when I first tried gambling and won a small amount of money, it felt like an escape – a chance to become a so-called ‘hotshot’.

“That’s not meant as a positive reflection. At the time, I thought I had found a way to escape life’s troubles and reinvent myself as someone I wasn’t. But gambling ended up taking everything.”

James financed his gambling addiction using credit card after credit card.

“Nothing would get me away from a gambling table. I would even wet myself and sit there in my own urine,” he explains.

“When I did eventually get up from the table I would stagger and struggle to breathe. It’s like I was draining the life out of myself.”

James tells how he once went on a fabulous holiday with his girlfriend to South Africa, but instead of enjoying their lovely hotel, he would insist on them going to a seedy casino in a horrible part of the city, night after night.

“Obviously, my relationships didn’t last, and my family felt helpless at what was happening to me. But I didn’t care. Gambling was all that mattered to me”, he said.

In September 2019 James went into rehab.

“My drinking had got so bad that I started fighting with people and ended up being arrested, narrowly missing jail. It was a wake-up call. I was completely out of control and had suicidal thoughts. It was either rehab or die and it was my mum who eventually took me there. I knew I just had to give myself completely to rehab and that’s what I did,” he continues.

After rehab James was homeless and was taken in by Hope, based in St Swithuns Road South in Bournemouth.

“I was given support and accommodation by Hope. I went to AA meetings. Everything changed from that point,” he added.

“I started studying and got my English and maths. I did a yoga scholarship, and my mind started to clear.

“I also started meditation and counselling. I saw the light and I thought: “I’m going to go for this, so I went to Loughborough University and did a three-year sports & exercise psychology degree.”

“Looking back now it was an ambitious step I took without thinking too much about the realities of student life – I really enjoyed studying but a lot of the younger people around me were drinking a lot and I couldn’t be in that environment, so I just had to lock myself away and study.

“I found solace and calm in using exercise as my medicine, ultimately completing a half Ironman.”

After university James wanted to give back by using his lived experience to support others and approached Lisa Everett, who had been his support worker at Hope. James now supports people who have experienced trauma, abuse, addiction and homelessness.

Hope has supported more than 2300 people out of homelessness and into safe accommodation, counselling, training, and independent living.

“I love it here,” James said. “People come to Hope because of all different kinds of problems in their lives, and I get such joy from playing a part in helping them grow and make positive changes.”

James now competes in online cycling at a high level and is working with Hope residents at improving their fitness.

He says: “I feel such gratitude for the way that I’ve been able to get my life back on track and I am content and happy.

“I would urge anyone who feels gambling is becoming a problem for them to seek help quickly before it spirals out of control. There is a lot of help locally here in BCP. Don’t wait like I did and risk losing everything.”

Information on Gamblers Anonymous meetings in Bournemouth can be found at: https://gamblersanonymous.org.uk/meetings/bournemouth-monday/