'Trips to hospital after drinking became routine'

When Holly Cayley woke up in a hospital bed again after another alcohol-related accident, she knew something had to change.

"I said to Christina, the alcohol nurse at Darent Valley Hospital, 'I know this has to be the last time here, I can't keep taking up hospital beds because I'm drinking too much and having accidents'," she said.

Today, Holly, 37, is 689 days sober and thriving thanks to support from Kenward Trust, a Kent-based charity that helps people overcome addiction and homelessness, and expressing support for people taking part in Dry January.

Chief executive Penny Williams said: "For many, Dry January is the first time they pause and really notice how alcohol fits into their lives."

When Holly first arrived at Kenward Trust, she says she broke down in tears.

"I thought, 'I'm never going to work this out – it's too big, there's too many people'. But at the same time, I knew it was my last option."

Years of heavy drinking had taken a toll.

Holly suffered multiple head injuries and bleeds on the brain, leaving her with alcohol-related brain damage and severe memory problems.

"I have a diary that comes everywhere with me. I have to write everything down daily," she explains.

Her drinking spiralled after returning from Sweden, where she had been living.

"I always liked a drink, but it started to get out of hand," she said.

"I couldn't hold down a job because I kept drinking. Every time I tried, the alcohol had gotten the better of me."

Hospital visits became routine. "The trips got so frequent everyone there knew me – it became my safe place," Holly said.

"The last time I was admitted, I told Christina, the alcohol nurse, 'I know this has to be the last time.' She was my saving grace. She got me into Kenward Trust."

Holly stayed in residential rehab for 10 weeks, longer than most, because her brain injuries made recovery harder.

"They gave me an extension because everything takes me longer to get to grips with," she says.

After completing the programme, she moved into one of Kenward's Stage 3 houses in Southborough, Kent, where she still receives support but has more independence.

Now, alcohol isn't even on her radar. "It doesn't faze me," Holly says. "Luckily I have friends who are supportive.

"People who watched me decline now say, 'Finally, we've got the old Holly back.'"

She believes Dry January can help others start that journey.

"Lots of people do it just to say they've done it. But for some, it's the first time they realise alcohol has a bigger hold than they thought," she said.

"If you're questioning your relationship with alcohol, speak up. You'll be surprised how much support you get."

Ms Williams and the Kenwood Trust agree.

The chief executive said: "Dry January can be a starting point – a moment of awareness that opens the door to meaningful, long-term change.

"Alcohol remains the UK's most socially accepted drug, but it's often linked to wider substance misuse."

For Holly, life without alcohol is "one million per cent better".

She has regained her driving licence and found joy in simple things.

"I used to think I couldn't function without a drink, but actually I wasn't functioning at all," she says.

"Now I wake up with clarity, without wondering what I did last night. I wouldn't give this up for anything."

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