A CHEF who lost his business and his sense of identity during his battle with drug addiction has rekindled his love of cooking thanks to an Inverclyde rehabilitation service.

Daniel Cashley had to give up his restaurant last year due in part to his problems with addiction.

But a year on from giving up his business, Daniel has picked himself up again and is now working as a chef at the Haven residential rehab facility.

The 30-year-old first came to The Haven in October last year as a resident. Now, after graduating from its programme, he serves up delicious meals for new residents who come through its doors.

Daniel Cashley now cooks meals for service users at the Haven. (Image: George Munro)

He said: “I came in last October and I came through.

“I completed the programme, stayed for the ten months, during the programme I got to work in the kitchen and do life skills throughout the week.

“It helped me develop new skills and reignite a bit of passion for my old job, I used to be a chef.

“It came to near the end of the programme and they said there was a potential position opening up. I started a six-month internship which I’m in the middle of doing at the moment.

“It’s good, you get a balance of still getting the support from the Haven and the one-on-one stuff, the support workers and the pastorals but you’re also giving something back.

“I’ve completed changed since I came here, I’m a completely different person.”

Daniel told the Telegraph that the Kilmacolm centre had given him his life back, and says he feels like he is getting back to the person he was before his addiction.

He said: “It’s quite easy, when you’re in addiction, to lose your identity. Coming here I’ve been able to find a new identity and rebuild my life again.

“I’ve got three kids and a wife outside, and getting to know them again, and them knowing who I actually am, instead of the drug addict, as productive member of the family again.

“My wife and I had a restaurant in Forfar and I ended up losing it partly because of addiction in May.

“It was one of the things that stopped me from coming in. I thought I couldn’t go into rehab because I needed to hold on to it, but you end up losing it anyway.

“My identity was in food, so when I lost that, it was a big thing. Coming here is good because it’s not my identity anymore, it gives me a bit of freedom.

“It’s nice feeding people, especially in here, because it’s the highlight of their day.”

William Carter, a support worker at the Haven, says Daniel’s story is one of amazing tales of transformation he has seen during his time at the facility.

He said: “We see guys coming in here who are broken and see them go through the journey, moving through the programme, going through the phases, getting their families up here and their kids back into their lives.

“You see wives getting their husbands back, like Daniel. He was riddled with cocaine addiction, crack cocaine, and now he has his wife and his kids back.

“It’s an amazing story.”