"I was on sick leave from my job at a scaffolding business after getting into a dispute with my boss which left me with a fractured eye socket," said Roy.
"I had been out of work for months and months and was really beginning to lose my confidence. People at the Job Centre sent me to Groundwork in Stretford where I was put on a programme to get me back into work."
As a charity Groundwork works alongside communities, public bodies, private companies and other voluntary sector organisations to deliver projects and programmes that benefit people and places.
Roy said: "They put me into a small team working at Newham General Hospital on a recycling project. The hospital had just installed a machine that recycled food waste from its kitchens.
"It was great working there because it was an environmental scheme which involved recycling and I was with other people in a similar situation. "
As well as working at the hospital Roy spent every Friday at the Groundwork offices in Stretford.
"I got fantastic help from people with things like job search, filling out application forms, interview technique and job search.
"I have to be honest I didn’t do much education at school. I was always good with my hands but not very good with things like writing.
"Really I was embarrassed about it but the people at Groundwork were so nice and so friendly they helped me get some confidence back. It was so good to be able to spend time with someone who took time to help me."
As well as getting support with basic skills Roy was also put on health and safety, first-aid, food hygiene, fire safety and manual handling courses.
He added: "Earlier this year the course finished and I was amazed when my bosses at Groundwork said I had shone out and they asked if I would be interested in a job supervising their Green Team in North London.
"For me it was a right privilege to go from being someone who one minute worked alongside them to the next minute working for them."
Now Roy works on all kinds of grounds maintenance projects in and around Islington. These involve grass cutting, clearing up eyesore patches of abandoned land, gardening, improving children’s play areas and helping encourage others who are in the same position now as he was seven months ago.
"I’ve really landed my dream job and I am helping other people at the same time", he said.
