A former Arbroath heroin addict has celebrated his first wedding anniversary with the wife who used to be his support worker.
Mike Rennie made an astonishing turnaround last summer when he married fiancee Lesley after 18 months of rehabilitation set up by the group Havilah.
Lesley was a volunteer with the scheme and the pair wrote letters to each other during Mike’s battle to kick his habit but it was not until he turned his back on drugs that romance blossomed.
He said, “I went to Aberdeen in February 2008 and was there for an 18-month programme. It was really tough going and within 10 days I had walked out, went out in Aberdeen and started taking drugs again.
“I stayed there for five days and then came back to Arbroath. Then went to see Jim and Tracy at Havilah, who got me back in for another run at it.”
Mike persevered and is now off drugs.
He said, “It was about changing my whole attitude, the way I thought and being able to forgive myself for what I had done to other people.”
Having been in a relationship where heroin was an issue, Lesley was aware of the challenges facing her new husband and continues to support his fight not to relapse.
Mike now speaks to youngsters, using his life as a cautionary tale.
He said, “I made my mother ill and I wasn’t allowed to go and see my sister because I would steal from her. It just destroyed my life.”
Havilah was set up in 2006 as a drop-in centre and now primarily helps drug addicts, helping several into rehab.