Man who struggled with alcoholism for 30 years thanks community hub that ‘saved his life’

By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter

A man who struggled with alcoholism for 30 years has said a local community hub “saved his life”.

Gary Chandler, 60, has lived in Penge, Bromley, for the majority of his life. After admitting he was a “functioning alcoholic” for more than 30 years, Mr Chandler said a local food bank has provided him with the support needed to get back on track.

Living Well Bromley is a community hub based in Lennard Road, Penge. Apart from running a food bank three times a week, the space also serves as a community café and a weekly community lunch for 200 people.

For people such as Mr Chandler, the hub also provides counselling and advocacy services on housing, benefits and homelessness.

Mr Chandler said: “They physically saved my life. They saved me in more ways than one. A lot of the people that come here have learning disabilities, especially when it comes to reading and writing, like I have. Everything’s now online. If you can’t do things online, you really are screwed.”

He said he noticed that he had started to drink to “blot out” troubles at work and his housing block. This led to him leaving his job at a building firm he had worked at for 21 years.

He said: “I haven’t worked since and then I just got worse and worse. That was in 2020… I had a mental breakdown. Then I went downhill very fast.

“So I looked at myself and I knew I needed help because I was staring at the kitchen clock, because I wouldn’t drink before midday. I was standing there staring at the clock, waiting for it to hit 12, and I thought, ‘No, I need to sort this out’.”

Mr Chandler said he came across Living Well after not being able to bring himself to get help from a local drug and alcohol service.

He added: “They are brilliant in what they do because they can talk to authorities, benefits people, solicitors, lawyers, in their own language. It’s a great benefit for people like me because unless you speak their language and say what they want to hear, you don’t get anywhere.”

Mr Chandler said he is now doing much better. He said Living Well has also helped him sell his flat to clear his debt with his bank and buy a car, as well as working to arrange his personal independence payment.

He said it’s a “shame” that society is at the point where people need to rely on food banks, but is eternally grateful to the work the community hub does.

He said: “These people also found me the rehab I’m in and I just can’t stress it enough. They do an amazing job… They’ve helped me in so many ways. I can’t thank them enough.”

Rebecca Day, operations manager at Living Well Bromley, said: “Many guests who come to Living Well are at crisis point when they can’t afford food, so Living Well supports this need as well as working with guests to help with the cause.”

She added: “With 250 adults and 120 children using the food bank each week, the charity is having to spend on average £1,000 on food supplies. No longer receiving any grant funding, the charity relies on donations from the local community and fundraising events.”

Labour Bromley councillor Ryan Thomson, representing the Crystal Palace and Anerley Ward, is currently holding a fundraiser for Living Well Bromley.

The councillor is planning on running a half marathon for the food bank on September 3, and is accepting donations through Just Giving.

Pictured top: Gary Chandler, 60, shown in front of Holy Trinity Church where Living Well Bromley is based on Lennard Road (Picture: Joe Coughlan)