Ex-gambling addict dedicating her life to helping other women nominated for Pride of Britain Award
ITV News Correspondent Jane Hesketh has been speaking with Pride of Britain nominee Stacey Goodwin.
Four years ago, Stacey Goodwin recovered from her gambling addiction. Now she dedicates her life to helping other women overcome theirs.
Stacey, from Chesterfield, embarked on a journey of recovery at the age of eighteen. She had spent years feeling alone, powerless and ashamed.
By midnight on every payday, she had spent every penny she had.
Searching for someone to lend an ear, Stacey turned to the Gordon Moody charity for help - a safe space which offers courses and retreats for gambling addicts.
Speaking to ITV News Central, Stacey told us: “When I went through my journey I started at 18 and I didn't tell anybody for years because I thought gambling was a male thing which affects males.
“I shouldn't be an 18-year-old girl suffering from gambling addiction.
“I am three years clean of gambling now.
“I needed a woman to sit and talk to, to just say how I felt and to just give me some help and that's exactly what I found at Gordon Moody’s retreat.
“I felt so much shame about what I was doing.”
Stacey is now spending the large majority of her time helping other women going through the same experiences, raising money for the charity.
She added: “It was important for me to say to other women that people go through this, it can happen to anybody and it doesn't exclude women.”
Gordon Moody is one of just a handful of centres offering help for women.
Stacey wrote a book about her experiences and all of the proceeds go to the charity.
She now gives inspirational talks, gets involved in charity walks and reaches out to individuals via social media to help women going through the same ordeal.
Jane Fahy from the Gordon Moody charity said: “Gordon Moody wouldn't exist without people like Stacey”.
Stacey's next challenge is to walk across all of the bridges in London to raise awareness and money for the charity.