UK

From Rock Bottom to Role Model: Former Gambling Addict Raises Funds for Charity

February 20, 2025
Samantha Gleeston

Harry Ingham from Hessle, East Yorkshire, has battled PTSD and gambling addiction and is now raising funds for mental health charity Andy’s Man Club.

This inspirational Hessle man got back on track out of love for his family.

Harry Ingham, 29, started gambling, two and a half years ago, as a way to escape PTSD from his time in the military. His mental health hit rock bottom.

His gambling addiction started as it usually does in most cases, slowly. From occasional football bets on weekends to getting hooked on slot games. That’s how it was for the main character of this story. Now it’s £50, the next week it’s £100, and so on.

He was working as a scaffolder and was getting paid every Friday. By Sunday, all the money was gone. His family was struggling to pay the bills, even if he was getting paid well. Everything was going to gambling.

Harry said that his wife was very supportive of his mental health issues, but ultimately she said to his husband that he needed help. It was like a kick for him.

“I delved into gambling addiction and ultimately I nearly lost my wife and my little boy who at the time was only one.” That’s when Harry understood he had to do something.

Harry signed up for GAMSTOP. This is a free service that allows users to control and restrict gambling activities. Plus, his wife was temporarily in charge of their finances. That’s when Harry also found out about Andy’s Man Club.

Andy’s Man Club is a peer-led charity for men, founded in 2016 and offering a space to talk about their problems. It operates every Monday at 7 pm.

Harry said he “hasn’t looked back” after attending his very first meeting. “I think there’s a sense of belonging when you go and a lot of reassurance that you are not by yourself with your problems.”

He went further and even became a facilitator at the Hessle group. He now gets to meet newcomers, make them a cup of tea or coffee, have a little chat with them, and get them to sit in the room. They’re all in the same boat so everyone’s friendly.

“You don’t have to speak if you don’t want to,” says Harry.

Since attending his first meeting, Harry has not gambled for more than two years. And this is very impressive.

His son was his biggest motivator. Take a look at what Harry said: “I didn’t want to bring my little boy up in a world where I’m doing stupid things. I didn’t want to be that sort of role model.” And he definitely turned the tide by recovering from addiction and raising funds for the charity.

You can find Harry’s fundraiser on JustGiving, where it already reached more than half of its target. His challenge starts on March 22, and that’s when we should expect updates from Harry.

Samantha Gleeston
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