THE LEARNING and Skills Council has been funding a course which has been helping former drug addicts, criminals, alcoholics and homeless people find a better life in Herefordshire.

Now the efforts of the pariticpants have been recognised by Hereford charity Bods, which gave certificates to 10 of its top students who completed a 10-week course at a woodland workshop in St Weonards.

First aid, survival tactics and forest cooking were just a variety of the courses taught by the five-year-old charity.

Dan Barrow, from Ledbury, was one those attending the course, which is accredited by the Open College Network.

He was a teenage petty criminal at 15 and a heroin addict and a dad at 16, described the Bods experience when he picked up his award.

"I am attending a day a week at Bods," he said. "It is an amazing place and, from feeling nervous and isolated at the start, I now feel as though I am part of the place."

His story was similar to many of those on the course, who were referred to Bods by the probation service and local drugs partnerships to make a fresh start in life.

Andrew Pullen, another former drug addict, said: "The woods project is amazing and we all get so much out of it.

"It really is wonderful to be able to enjoy the great outdoors and get involved in projects that have a real meaning and a real outcome - I am definitely a nicer person since I have been coming here."

Other graduates of the programme include 37-year-old Debbie Ward and 18-year-old Lydia Turner, both from Hereford.

For further details about Bods contact Dave Davoll on 01432 274239 or visit www.bods.info