Fozia's [community and belonging]

"I lived at Damien John Kelly house on Wavertree High Street for just over 2 years.

It’s where I started my recovery journey, and it’s still a massive part of my life to this day. Although I don't live there anymore, I've got this connection to it. And when I revisit, it just feels like coming home. Being on that 79 bus coming down the High Street, just-just remembering the takeaways and the shops and the restaurants and the people, the community spirit. It’s a beautiful place, it really is. I lived in Yorkshire, in Barnsley for 41 years, and were in a cycle of addiction. So you could say that I started my life in Wavertree, I were reborn in Wavertree, that’s where I started to learn, and that's where I got a sense of community and belonging. A purpose, and I carry that on into my life now and that’s for the people of-of Wavertree, but mainly the work that I did in Damien John Kelly House and the people there. I'll be forever grateful. Everything I've got in my life now, started in 63-69 High Street in Wavertree. Beautiful place. You got the Mystery Park across the road, you got the tree lined streets behind yous, you got the little takeaways, Bravo’s, five quid for a doner kebab wrap meal - that became my new addiction at one point. Five quid, and you get a wrap, portion of chips and a can of coke. What more could you ask for?

But my favourite spot on the High Street were Fozia’s. Beautiful Kashmiri restaurant, and a lovely lady as well. She cooked for a few times. I remember we did, we did a fast for Ramadan one year, and she cooked a banquet end at night. Oh! Yeah definitely the best meal I’ve ever had, that. Especially after fasting as well. Highly recommend Fozia’s. Um, little shop next door to us, um, the shop owner affectionately called Dave. He's obviously not called Dave, but he-he's a big part of that community and I spent a lot of time there buying Pepsi Max and Beef Monster Munch. And I still go there, every time I go back I make sure I go in and see Dave, say hello and buy a Pepsi Max.

I've got a lot of love for Wavertree, a lot of love for Damien John Kelly House and I'm grateful every day." (Transcript)