A FORMER drug user and ex-offender spent the day with Bolton South East MP Brian Iddon.

James Sanders shadowed the politician as part of the Prince’s Trust Youth Week.

The day gave Mr Sanders the opportunity to share his own personal experiences with the MP, while seeing behind the scenes of a typical working day in his constituency.

Mr Sanders, aged 24, from Bolton, was previously arrested for a drug-related offence and also abused alcohol before he turned his life around with the help of The Prince’s Trust’s 12-week Team programme.

He said: “I was out and about drinking all the time before I came across The Prince’s Trust.

“They helped me change all that and I’ve stopped drinking now.

“It went really well with Brian. I heard all about him and then I told him about my life — the things that have set me back and the things that have helped. We’re going to meet up again in a couple of weeks.”

Mr Sanders has now been in work for eight months and also helps other young people like himself as a volunteer for The Prince’s Trust.

The Team programme helps unemployed people, aged 16 to 25, develop their skills for work while volunteering in the community.

Dr Iddon said: “I’m happy to support The Prince’s Trust in this way.

“Young people are incredibly passionate about their communities and are making a great difference to the people around them, but we must not forget that they also need our support.”

Three out of four young people on Prince’s Trust programmes go into work, training or education.

Last year, 10,000 young people worked with the charity to transform their local area — an investment in the community worth £6 million.

For more information go to princes-trust.org.uk