Daniel Norrish, 57, from Swindon, Wiltshire, has shared how volunteering has helped him rebuild his life following years of alcohol addiction. Mr Norrish, who says he was an alcoholic for most of his life and drank up to 23 cans of beer a day, became sober two years ago.
His drinking escalated after he was made redundant during the Covid pandemic, leading him to consume beer and spirits from morning until night. After 13 weeks in rehab, Mr Norrish was determined to change his life.
He now volunteers for FoodCycle Swindon, a charity that transforms surplus supermarket food into free community meals. Mr Norrish stated that cooking for the local community has given him purpose, routine, and connection, making him feel good and helping others.
Jemma Pembury, regional manager for FoodCycle, highlighted the ripple effect of kindness, noting Mr Norrish's dedication. The charity runs community meals from Pinetrees Community Centre in Swindon on Thursday evenings, also operating in Bristol and Bath.