AFTER years of drug taking, theft and prison sentences, many people gave up on Craig Fellowes from Gloucester.

But the Probation Service never lost hope and have helped the former heroin addict come out the other side.

The 35-year-old said: "In 2003 I was sat in a prison cell for another sentence, I had been on heroin for 12 years and had been in and out of jail and wanted a different life.

"I was given a six-week sentence or they said I could do a community based sentence, so I worked with the probation service treatment at the Ryecroft Centre and got off drugs and gradually got back.

"I remember one of the team saying they weren't there to work against me but to work with me and then the penny really dropped and I had lots of help from there."

Gloucestershire Probation Board became Gloucestershire Probation Trust on April 1 and is now one of 35 probation trusts in England and Wales.

Trust status means Gloucestershire will retain its own probation service, where it can share skills and knowledge with the police and court service in a bid to improve services and maximise resources for the future. Staff hope this will allow them to help more people like Craig.

Craig, who now works as a community health trainer for Gloucestershire NHS in probation approved premises like the Ryecroft Centre, added: "I feel very lucky that I was helped by such an amazing team. I will never forget how the journey started at the Ryecroft Centre and I am glad that I can go back to help others."

On Tuesday, a celebration was held at Bewick House, in Denmark Road, to mark Gloucestershire Probation Trust's new-found status.

Chief executive officer of Gloucestershire Probation Trust, John Bensted, said: "It wasn't certain we would get through as we are one of the smallest areas in the country but we made it through and it is great."

Mayor of Gloucester Chris Witts, magistrates and Chief Constable Tony Melville were at the celebration.