AN addiction specialist and a businessman have set up a social enterprise to help the people in South Wiltshire suffering from gambling problems.

Daniel Richter, from Broad Chalke, and Ian Beatson, from Salisbury, launched Better Futures for Gamblers earlier this month.

Daniel, whose day job is an NHS manager, said: “There are 250 adults in the Salisbury constituency who have major gambling problems, and over 3,000 who are ‘at risk’.

“I have worked in drug and alcohol addiction for over a decade and could see there was a shortage of help out there for those with gambling problems.

“Only a few who have a clinical level addiction will actually get face-to-face help, a lot of people struggle on and try to stop by themselves such as self-exclusion from betting shops and sites. Ian and I have different day jobs but both have an interest and a passion to help those suffering from gambling addictions.”

The organisation is working with local churches to provide a one-to-one course for people who need help, and the first 100 clients have been funded by donors contributing through a crowdfunding scheme.

The course is two hours a week, with homework, for a month, and the idea is that when they finish the course, each client will ‘pay it forward’ by paying £20 for someone else to benefit.

“There are a lot of social consequences which are usually quite hidden but caused by people’s gambling,” Daniel said.

“Some people just can’t cope, it can lead to people in prison having committed crime, relationship breakdown, debt and other problems.

“Once people have referred themselves to us through the website, we will link them up with a church to do the course in their area or in Salisbury, for example my church which is Salisbury Vineyard.

“We didn’t want to ask people to pay for it at the beginning because they haven’t benefited from anything and may not have the funds.

“But once people have come through the course, they hopefully will have benefited from it and pay it forward.”

MP John Glen has added his support to the organisation saying: “The potential to transform lives through practical on the ground support is plainly enormous.”

Visit betterfutures.uk.