StartWell’s Jimmy to trek for Charity
Jimmy Watkins, who is completing training at the StartWell project, is preparing for a few big things in the coming months. First, his animated film “Jimmy: then and now” was screened at the formal launch of FOUNDATION66 on the 14th of July. This autumn, Jimmy will be trekking in Southern India for charity.
Jimmy’s film “Jimmy: Then and Now” uses “claymation” to chart a part of his journey through homelessness, addiction and recovery and was a spin-off from the Touchstone Animation Project. That project was a collaboration between clients of FOUNDATION66's Touchstone service in Enfield and Art START community art project. He’s pleased his film was screened at the FOUNDATION66 launch in front of an audience of key members of the drug and alcohol sector. “That’s exactly what it’s for” he said recently.
To tell his story, he made the clay models with a little help from fellow Touchstone service users and did some of the filming alongside editor/producer Nigel Kellaway.
Celebrating a year of sobriety this July 7, Jimmy describes Touchstone day programme as “..brilliant. It’s kept me sober. I wouldn’t have been able to keep sober without those five months (at Rugby House-ARP now Foundation66). Jimmy still visits the Enfield site to use the internet café and attend aftercare sessions.
On his upcoming gruelling 200 mile trek across Kerala, India this November, Jimmy will be raising funds for Homeless International, a charity which helps needy people in the slums of Asia and Africa. “ It really will be the trip of a lifetime for me and it’s for a worthy cause”.
Jimmy also has goals which are much closer to home. As he moves on from StartWell he hopes to complete an NVQ in Social Care next year with the intention of one dayworking in the alcohol and drug sector. Jimmy has done all four courses at Rugby House-ARP’s StartWell training project and recommends them highly. His only regret being that he “wishes there were more courses”
www.justgiving.com/jameswatkins For more information on StartWell speak to Natalie Hughes on 020 7234 9940
