A North Ayrshire Council worker who struggled with a gambling addiction has praised the council for launching a gambling help guide.

Recovery Development Worker, Christopher Collins, has been in recovery for the past six years and has applauded the council for being one of the first in Scotland to support staff with gambling addictions.

Through the guide, staff will have access to the council’s ‘wellbeing warriors’ – staff who can support colleagues during tough times, as well as guidance from the Money Matters team and a direct line to trade union representatives.

Christopher said: “I started to take on a lot of debts. I started pawning stuff and selling my possessions. I was a vinyl collector at the time and sold my records.

“I stopped eating, lost weight and wasn’t looking after myself. I must have had 40 or 50 different accounts for gambling and spent absolute thousands. I got a benefits backdate of a few thousand pounds – and that was gone within hours.

“It is one day at a time for me, absolutely no gambling. I can’t even do a tombola or a raffle. But I like myself now, and when I was gambling I didn’t.

“I am really proud of this council for being the first in Ayrshire to provide this type of support and guidance through the HR Guide and the charter because, in my opinion, there is a crisis out there.”

Staff will also be able to access the trade union backed Harmful Gambling Workplace Charter as the council have signed up to the programme.

It is hoped that the measures and early intervention will help minimise the debt; mental and physical health issues; work issues; impact on relationships and suicidal thoughts that gambling addicts can suffer from.

UNISON branch secretary for North Ayrshire, Louise McDaid, has helped a loved one through their gambling addiction.

She said: “The key thing to note is that gambling cuts across class. I have met people from all walks of life and professions, and the damage caused by gambling has been terrible.

“There are 400 suicides per year linked to gambling in England and Wales.

“We don’t know the figures for Scotland because we don’t record them. We don’t ask the question.

“We lost a young man to suicide through gambling, a number of years ago, at the council.

“We need to have conversations – don’t ignore it. And the most important thing about the council’s new HR guide and the Charter is that it allows you to talk.”

Managers with staff who come forward about their addiction will also be given advice on how to help.