Elly returns for her third appearance on Believe in People to share insight from over 30 years working in harm reduction, with a focus on eliminating Hepatitis C.

She explains how treatment has progressed from year-long courses with severe side effects to today’s short-course tablets that are 96 percent effective. Elly draws on decades of professional experience, making this an essential listen for anyone interested in how public health services respond to complex and evolving challenges.

The discussion covers how Hepatitis C affects a broader population than often assumed. While commonly linked to injecting drug use, the virus also impacts people who have had tattoos abroad, unregulated cosmetic procedures or shared personal care items. Elly provides clear information about risk factors, symptoms and the long-term damage the virus can cause, especially when it remains undiagnosed for years.

This episode also highlights the importance of completing treatment and the barriers people face in doing so. Elly discusses the role of co-production between service users and commissioners in improving access and outcomes. Whether you work in healthcare, study public health or want to understand one of the most significant viral risks in the UK today, this conversation offers clarity, depth and practical advice.

Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.

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Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com

This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.

📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)

🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923

🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew

In this energising and unfiltered conversation, we meet Henry Beercock, founder of Hull’s growing sober movement Alcohull Free. After nearly two decades of heavy binge drinking, Henry made a bold decision: he gave up alcohol, left his corporate career, and radically transformed his life from the inside out.

What followed was more than personal recovery, it was the beginning of a cultural shift. Alcohull Free was built for people who are tired of drinking culture but still want to connect, socialise, and celebrate without compromise. It’s a movement that challenges outdated ideas about sobriety and creates space where being alcohol-free is something to take pride in. This is not about restriction, it’s about reclaiming joy, energy, and freedom.

This episode is for anyone exploring sobriety, rethinking their relationship with alcohol, or seeking new ways to connect - this is a conversation that could change everything.

Join the sober rebellion

Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.

🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.

Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com

This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.

📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)

🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923

🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew

Apple Music x Believe in People: A Classical Connections Feature

In this special collaboration, Believe in People host Matthew Butler is featured on Classical Connections, the Radio Academy Award-winning podcast hosted by renowned pianist and composer Alexis Ffrench.

Originally broadcast on Apple Music, this episode forms part of the acclaimed 60-Second Sonata segment, where Alexis listens to a personal story and responds by composing a bespoke piece of music. Inspired by Butler’s reflections on trauma, addiction, and hope, Ffrench created a new original composition titled “Believe” - a piano piece that captures the emotional gravity of the conversation.

In the conversation, Butler traces the origins of the Believe in People podcast and shares how his perceptions of addiction were transformed by speaking with hundreds of individuals in recovery. What emerges is an honest and sometimes difficult exploration of what leads people to substance use, the deeply personal nature of "rock bottom," and the power of simply listening without judgement.

In a generous move to help expand the conversation around recovery, Apple Music has donated both the composition “Believe” and the full interview audio for wider use within the recovery community.

Full Series below ⬇️
🔗 apple.co/ClassicalConnections

Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.

🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.

Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com

This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.

📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)

🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923

🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew

In the first of a powerful two-part conversation, Andy Woodward joins Believe in People to recount the beginning of a journey that would ultimately expose one of the biggest scandals in British sporting history.

A former professional footballer, Andy was the first to go public with his experience of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of Barry Bennell, a youth coach whose crimes were concealed for decades by a culture of silence within football.

With striking honesty, Andy describes how predators like Bennell groom not only children but entire families, building trust to enable long-term abuse. He explains how the “position of trust” was weaponised, and how the sport’s insular, protective culture became a fortress - one that prioritised clubs over children and reputation over truth.

This episode also explores the wider emotional toll of Andy’s early experiences, including the haunting connection between his abuser and the man who murdered his aunt, a trauma that reverberated across his family and shaped much of his adult life.

Part one lays bare the origins of a profound personal reckoning. It sets the stage for part two, where Andy will speak candidly about the years of pain, addiction, and eventual healing that followed - a testament to how deeply childhood trauma can ripple through a life, and how recovery begins by speaking the truth.

🎧 Part two of Andy’s story coming soon

Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.

🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.

Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com

This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.

📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)

🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923

🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew

In this gripping return to Believe in People, Young Lee opens up about what happens after the chaos of addiction — when the drugs are gone, the dust has settled, and the real work begins. Once a rising star in the music scene, Young shares how losing everything forced him to rebuild from scratch — not just a life, but a self. Through daily spiritual practice, honest service, and the quiet discipline of presence, he’s found a deeper kind of freedom — one rooted not in status or success, but in being truly useful.

This isn’t just a story of surviving addiction — it’s a raw, unflinching look at the spiritual journey of being recovered. Young speaks with moving clarity about earning back trust from his children, breaking the illusion of control, and staying grounded in a world that pulls us in every direction. If you’ve ever wondered what recovery really looks like years down the line — this episode is your answer. It’s not about perfection. It’s about showing up, telling the truth, and choosing peace, one day at a time.

If you liked this episode then you'll also love Young's first appearance in episode 41 👇

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6UtKzvrzzqVJWLQxZSehJ8

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/41-young-heroin-house-music-healing-smuggling-acid/id1617239923?i=1000650255345

Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.

🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.

Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com

This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.

📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)

🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923

🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew

Ross joins the podcast to share his powerful journey from personal tragedy to public advocacy, following the suicide of his father - a traumatic event that profoundly shaped his mental health. We explore how Ross turned to alcohol and cocaine to suppress overwhelming grief, endured multiple suicide attempts, and reached a pivotal moment of clarity during hospitalisation. His recovery story is rooted in the transformative impact of sobriety and the critical role of peer support. Through his involvement with Andy’s Man Club, Ross found a renewed sense of purpose in creating space for men to speak openly, confront trauma, and support one another without judgment.

This conversation delves into themes of emotional resilience, the social conditioning of masculinity, and the healing potential of community-led recovery. We also discuss the moment Ross met the paramedic who saved his life, and how full-circle experiences like these reinforce the value of second chances. Ross’s story is a compelling reminder that silence is not strength—and that choosing to speak out can be the first step toward real, lasting change.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, addiction, or overwhelming emotions, please contact Samaritans at 116 123, or visit Andy’s Man Club to find a local group.

🗣️ Trigger Warning: This episode discusses suicide, addiction, and mental health crises. Listener discretion is advised.

Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.

🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.

Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com

This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.

📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)

🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923

🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew

Matt speaks with Woody, the National Connecting Communities Lead at Change Grow Live, who shares a candid account of his journey through addiction, recovery, and professional development. Woody reflects on the early signs of substance use in his teens and the emotional undercurrents that led him to rely on substances as a coping mechanism. He discusses his progression through various drugs, including butane gas, cannabis, hallucinogens, and ultimately alcohol, which became his most destructive dependency.

Woody describes the personal impact of addiction on his life, including strained family relationships, disconnection from his children, and the loss of his physical and emotional wellbeing. He talks about hitting rock bottom, including a significant turning point involving arrest and hospitalisation, which prompted him to seek detox and begin a new phase of recovery. Woody speaks with honesty about the shame, isolation, and denial that often accompany substance misuse.

A significant part of Woody’s recovery has been grounded in spirituality, nature, and meaningful connection with others. He shares how his introduction to a spiritual philosophy helped replace his dependency on substances with a sense of purpose and guidance. He also emphasises the vital role of the recovery community and the importance of peer support in sustaining long-term wellbeing.

Now in a leadership position, Woody explores the challenges and opportunities of being open about lived experience within professional settings. He reflects on stigma, disclosure, and the need to shift organisational cultures to recognise the value of lived experience as an asset. This episode offers insight into personal growth, systemic change, and the power of recovery to transform lives.

Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.

🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.

Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com

This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.

📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)

🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923

🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew

Matt speaks with Chris De Banks, founder of Not Saints - the UK’s only not-for-profit record label supporting musicians in recovery - to explore the powerful intersection of music and sobriety. From navigating the drug-fuelled 90s music scene to building a sober creative community, Chris shares his journey through addiction, recovery, and the founding of Not Saints. Together, they unpack the myths that link creativity with substance use, challenge the glamorisation of addiction in pop culture, and spotlight how stigma can be dismantled through storytelling, sober events, and authentic musical expression.

Click here to text our host, Matt, directly!

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Please take a moment to leave a review — it helps others find us.

🔗 Then share this episode with someone you know who could benefit from it.

Browse the full archive at 👉 www.believeinpeoplepodcast.com

This is a toolkit for recovery & resilience. Whether you’re in recovery or seeking to understand addiction, there’s something here for everyone.

📩 Contact: robbie@believeinpeoplepodcast.com
🎵 Music: “Jonathan Tortoise” by Christopher Tait (Belle Ghoul / Electric Six)

🔗 Listen & Subscribe
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4Cr4wzZ6bxku1cRcoYKbGK
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/believe-in-people/id1617239923

🎙️ Facilitator: Matthew Butler
🎛️ Producer: Robbie Lawson
🏢 Network: ReNew