\n Tam Wright said he ruined his life after placing a bet on four horses and winning \u00a389.\n<\/p>\n
\n The 67-year-old said: “One of the people I used to work with asked if I wanted to pick a betting line one day.\n<\/p>\n
\n “I selected four horses, won \u00a389, and that was me. I got paid on Friday, and all my money would be gone on the same day. I told lies and wasted my money. It controls you. It was a horrendous time.”\n<\/p>\n
\n Thomas Wright (Image: Colin Mearns)\n<\/p>\n
\n Rather than being defined by his addiction, Tam has put his efforts into instilling hope in those fighting their own battles.\n<\/p>\n
\n Through volunteering with organisations like Glasgow City Mission<\/a>, the Simon Community<\/a> and Life Housing<\/a>, Tam has helped people experiencing homelessness<\/a> find accommodation and rebuild their lives after addiction, particularly drugs and alcohol.\n<\/p>\n \n Tam, who is from Govan<\/a> but has lived in Scotstoun<\/a> for 12 years, said: “I volunteered at the Winter Night Shelter with Glasgow City Mission for four months and at one point, there were 40 people with addiction in one building. We would get them a mattress, sleeping bag, food, and we would stay awake with them through the night to ensure they did not overdose.\n<\/p>\n \n “When I worked with the street team at Simon Community, I helped get people off the streets and into temporary accommodation. I pulled two people out of house fires while working there.\n<\/p>\n \n “There was a fire in the bottom flat one week in Motherwell. The guy had been cooking but was clearly under the influence. He had locked the door. I told him to open it, or I’d have to knock it in. He eventually did, and I got him out. Another time was a guy in an upstairs flat. There were flames in his living room; he didn’t even know it was on fire. I had to boot the door in and carry him out.”\n<\/p>\n \n Meanwhile, while at Life Housing, he said he did the most amount of support he has ever provided.\n<\/p>\n \n He added: “The team and I helped people with meal preparation, getting homes and learning to budget. It is an amazing place, they do incredible work.”\n<\/p>\n \n Tam also helped three people who overdosed while he was volunteering, describing one of the men as being on a ‘deadly cocktail’.\n<\/p>\n \n \n Tam said that though working with people with addiction can be tough and stressful, helping those in need has been a great experience.\n<\/p>\n \n He added: “I just want to give people hope. Addiction<\/a> is an existence, not living.\n<\/p>\n \n “I struggled for 20 years, and you cannot just stop one day; it is a hard process, but I got there in the end, and now, I am happy.\n<\/p>\n \n “I want people to know that there is a way out; that they can have a life again.”\n<\/p>\n \n Tam has managed to heal, not only through recovery, but through finding religion. Having been a Christian for the last 36 years, he said it has set him free.\n<\/p>\n \n Turning to religion also helped him after losing most of his family to cancer and battling the disease himself alongside Covid-19.\n<\/p>\n \n Tam is now retired and planning to do more volunteering in the future.\n<\/p>\n \n If you, or someone you know, is battling addiction, you can find resources HERE<\/a>\n<\/p>\nThomas Wright (Image: Colin Mearns)\n<\/p>\n