Tony Carroll
Tony Carroll Captains
The Monas Queen
Birkenhead YMCA is proud to introduce our new Boat Skipper – 31 year old Tony Carroll, who arrived at the YMCA a little over twelve months ago when his life was in a state of total chaos and turmoil.
Now just one year later, Tony who has just moved into his own flat, has completed a marathon journey and achieved some remarkable outcomes in transforming his life and gaining an independent lifestyle as a productive and responsible member of the local community.
Tony's story is one of tragedy and drama tinged with one or two narrow escapes, with most of his problems and issues having arisen when he had left school and started mixing with the wrong sort of people. Tony had a happy schooling and successfully gained some GCSE's and it was only when he found himself in the workplace that things began to rapidly spiral out of control.
Throughout his 20's Tony got more and more entrenched in criminal activity while his family worried and feared the worst for him and struggled to cope with the lad they once knew. In 2010 Tony went to prison for what he vowed to himself would be the last time. He was haunted by his actions and the hurt he had caused those closest to him, but with stubborn independence he resolutely refused all help from those around him – he was sure he could cope and would sort himself out.
Tony at the Broads Authority's
How Hill Nature Reserve.
When Tony was released from prison he found it difficult to help himself as each day went by he became more lost and isolated in society and without anyone to offer him the vital support and guidance he desperately needed he fell into a deeply depressive mood, which over a number of weeks became unbearable for him. Things became so bad that finally he attempted to take his own life.
Thanks to the quick action and responses of partner organisations on Wirral, Tony was referred and accepted at the YMCA and soon he was working closely with his key worker and other project workers to engage and inspire him that there was much more to life than crime and homelessness. Over the weeks he slowly regained his self esteem and confidence and stared to build some new bridges with his family.
Tony grasped every opportunity with both hands and so it was that one bitterly cold day last autumn Tony joined a work experience team training at Anderton Marina in Cheshire and as he puts it "things changed forever". As the weeks went by Tony learned more and more and took on ever greater more complex tasks. Danny Coleman the Manager at Anderton comments "Tony's interest and clamour for knowledge was like a sponge soaking up information. He never let us down once and got stuck into everything he was asked to do. I have nothing but admiration for the guy".
Polishing the brass on the Mona's Queen
- and there's plenty of it!
Tony started to build up a portfolio of his training which contained a number of pictures of him out on the boats and carrying out tasks at the marina along with the certificates he had gained. It was perhaps fortuitous that he did, for his grandfather who meant a great deal to Tony fell seriously ill. "My granddad was like a father to me and in the last few years he only knew of all the bad stuff I'd done. I remember taking the training folder over to hospital to show him how I had changed and what I was now doing and he was really pleased I'd got my life sorted". A few weeks later amidst the pride, sense of achievement and reconciliation with those closest to him came the devastating day when his granddad died. For Tony it was a tough moment but like much in recent times a character forming one.
"I always think of him when I'm out on the boats – I'm sure he's with me – he left me his watch – it keeps him close with me and in my memory – as time goes by he can watch over me".
Tony's voluntary work has consumed a huge amount of his own personal time but he is glad to do it for the benefit of others. During his recent trip to the Norfolk Broads, he successfully achieved another ambition of navigating the large YMCA cruiser Mona's Queen under the notoriously low and difficult arch of Wroxham Bridge – usually only accomplished by very small boats or the local river pilot!
(September 2011)
