Gateway Foundation
Richard Taylor’s Gateway News!

Brian was involved in gun and drug running for numerous years. He also had a large cocaine habit and began to feel totally hopeless. Following  regular support through the Gateway mentorship programme, Brian is now training as a sports organiser in dorset. The training will equip him to train young men and women with similar issues to what he had. This qualification will also allow him to take his skills abroad if he chose to do so. He is now qualified in fencing, football coaching as well as archery.

Brian has appeared on the politics show on BBC one speaking about his experiences, and recently spoke to 600 barristers on the subject of crime and his life. Brian emphasises the support and mentorship he received through Gateway. Brian is one of many who are living proof of the mess becoming a miracle.

Mark is an  18 year old man who spent  Several years using heroin and crack cocaine. Through these years he served several  prison sentences. Following regular attendance at the Gateway mentorship group and receiving individual one to one mentorship, Micheal was referred to Victory Outreach UK to their detox centre in the black country. After spending 2 weeks there he reduced  a high dose of substitute medication and is now completely  abstinent from heroin. He is currently transfering to Victory Outreach in Wales to one of the homes there. This will equip him with further life skills.

Saturday 21 march 2009 took myself and my friend and reformed Cocaine dealer Darren to the bush hotel in Wales. The Bush is one of the homes of victory outreach uk.

I shared my story and a message about our mess becoming the material for miracles. No matter how far gone we feel we are there is always the potential for amazing transformation. Everyone was encouraged, and we just had a great time.5 of the guys responded and we talked at the end of the meeting.

I then asked Darren to share his story. This showed the guys hope and challenged them to pursue life with all they have.

Craig had spent the last year sleeping rough and at places where he could find shelter from the weather conditions. One way of reducing the cold was the seeming warmth of heroin and alcohol. This inevatibly progressed into addiction and enhanced hopelesness.

Following a long discussion Craig is now in the process of moving into a stable Christian environment courtesy of one of Gateway’s partners. Victory Outreach U.K is a well established charity which provides homes for young men and women without purpose and puts structure into their lives.

We wish Craig all the best as he moves on from Gateway to Victory Outreach

Kelvin Stribblehill

Manager

April 2009 sees the start of my new position. I will manage the Gateway foundation full time. I will leave my current position at the end of March and transfer and work out of Stourbridge from a detox house.

Let’s see 2009 see many more lives transformed .

Kelvin  Stribblehill

Manager

Saturday 28th february 2009 saw the first Gateway charity skydive. Many faced their fear of heights and wanted to go straight back up again and do another jump. 9 people jumped from 12, 000 ft in a tandem jump (strapped to an instructor)

It was an amzing day, an culminated in all of the team eating together. Money raised was just under £3000 so thanks to all who fell for the freedom of others. You must be mad!

Kelvin Stribblehill

Manager

the Tuesday evening mentorship group is receiving new members from locations far out of the Solihul borough. This week we had visitors from, Reditch, Wolverhampton and Stratford upon Avon. Each one had heard about the work Gateway accomplish and were encouraged as their own lives had become discouraging.

Following attending the meeting each new member left with a new sense of purpose and worth, and stated that they could hardly wait until the following week.

Sunday 22nd February took myself, Mark and Ellis to Southport Community Church. Our founder Richard Taylor was speaking there on the Saturday evening at a corporate conference and spoke at the morning service at the church.

Before the beginning of the service we played the Gateway DVD to show some of the work we do and the range of services we offer. Following this I introduced Mark and Ellis and asked them to share a little of their stories, which greatly encouraged the congregation as they had donated very generously 10 months previous when Gateway had just begun.

We received numerous generous regular standing order donations from generous members. A big thank you to all at Southport for their consitent generosity and warm welcome.

Kelvin Stribblehill
(manager)

Just a quick note to congratulate Dave and Benji as they are currently being trained in mentorship. Both of them are keen to acquire the skills needed to help others on the journey of transforming their lives.

We look forward to having them on board as mentors as their wealth of experience is priceless.

Kelvin Stribblehill

manager

After spending years in depression, prsion and Heroin addiction. Martin (name changed) is now about to move to Wales to Victory Outreach UK. Throughout the 18 years of his life, Martin has never known anything besides, drugs and crime. Following attending the Gateway mentorship group on tuesday evenings, Martin has decided he’d like to further the life skills he has developed through Gateway and the Princes trust. To be able to do this effectively he feels a residential setting would be his best option.

Martin is a great example of inter agency work and how working together makes a huge difference in the lives of young men and women who have no hope. So a big thank you to the Princes trust, and Victory Outreach UK and congratulations to Martin.

Kelvin Stribblehill

(Manager)