Away from his family, Nick Phillips (50) joined members of his community at Winton Christmas Lunch yesterday to share holiday cheer and celebrate his 18 months of sobriety.
Mr Phillips said he was a recovered alcoholic, and without the help of the Central Southland Presbyterian Church and the Winton community he would not be where he was now.
He was glad about his achievements, especially in what the described as "the hardest year of his life", which had been challenging due to the impact of Covid-19.
"Last year I hit rock bottom and with help, I could start my recovery.
"This year was the hardest one for me because I had my ups and downs.
"I’ve had times this year, when things were really hard, that I thought, ‘Oh! I’m just gonna have a drink’."
Mr Phillips had to stop socialising with old friends as their relationship was based on his addiction — alcohol.
However, he said he had created a whole new family.
"This is my priority now, I had to break circles."
He believed one of the main drivers of his sobriety was not only his determination but also his dream to complete a degree.
In November, he graduated as a carpenter at the Southern Institute of Technology.
"I said to my folks, ‘I’m the oldest in the course, but I would like to become a top student’.
"A couple of weeks ago I received an email saying I was accepted to a top student award."
Celebrating the milestone of 18 months of sobriety, Mr Phillips painted a frame to thank the church for all its support.
Asked about his pride in having achieved all those things this year, he was humble.
"I don’t see myself as anything special, but a lot of people say to me I should be proud of what I’ve done, and I’m trying to.
"I just feel very thankful to this community. Without them, I don’t know where I would be."
Mr Phillips was among the 50 people who attended the Winton Community Christmas lunch.
Volunteer Theresa Melville, who had had the idea of the event, said the date was special.
"It is an opportunity to bring people together at a time of year which can be quite lonely for some."
