A grateful mother from Birmingham has made a personal donation to the Offending 2 Recovery (O2R) programme to thank the team who helped turn her son’s life around after years of addiction and crime.
Anita Kelly, whose son James battled heroin and crack cocaine addiction for over a decade, said she wanted to give something back to the scheme that “gave me my son back.” The money will now fund counselling sessions to support others on their own recovery journeys.
James, 38, was once spending up to £1,000 a week on drugs and surviving through shoplifting and theft. After meeting Police Constable (PC) Sharon Manboard-Jones through O2R, he joined an intensive support and rehabilitation programme. Nearly three years later, he is clean, thriving, and now supports and advises Nottinghamshire Police, helping other addicts find a new path away from crime.
Anita Kelly, mother of James, said: “For years I lived in fear of a phone call telling me my son was gone. The Offending 2 Recovery programme didn’t just help James – it helped our whole family.
“The compassion and belief Sharon and the team showed him changed everything. My donation is a small way to say thank you and to help others find the hope my son found.”
James Kelly, now in recovery and supporting others, added: “When I met Sharon, I was at rock bottom. I didn’t think I was worth helping. But she believed in me more than I believed in myself. O2R gave me a reason to live again and a chance to make things right. I owe my life to this programme – and to my mum for never giving up on me.”
The Offending 2 Recovery initiative, launched by West Midlands Police in Erdington, Birmingham in 2018, is supported by the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Simon Foster, who provides £100,000 a year towards its running costs. The programme has recently expanded across the West Midlands after achieving significant reductions in reoffending rates among participants.
Simon Foster, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Stories like James’s are exactly why we must support Offending 2 Recovery. This is about giving people a chance to turn their lives around and make a positive contribution to society, reducing reoffending, and ultimately preventing crime and ensuring there are fewer victims of crime.
“Anita’s generous and welcome donation is a testament to the power of compassion, belief in rehabilitation, and community support. Every pound will go towards helping others to turn their lives around, just like James did.”
The O2R scheme continues to grow across the region, offering offenders access to trauma-informed therapy, residential rehab, and long-term mentoring – giving people the support they need to break the destructive cycle of addiction and crime.
To find out more about West Midlands Police’s Offending 2 Recovery programme, including how to support its work or refer someone in need of help, visit: Offending 2 Recovery
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