A photographer who turned his life around after struggling with addiction and homelessness is hoping to get people talking about mental health at a new exhibition.
Richard Walsh, 45, discovered his passion and talent for photography when he was being helped by Norwich-based charity The Matthew Project.
Richard was part of the organisation's Recovery Support Programme when he discovered the therapeutic benefits of photography through the Next Steps project.
He recalls: "I went to my first session and one of the instructors was looking at the photos I’d taken and said 'you really have a good eye for this'."
After the outbreak of the Covid pandemic in 2020, Richard saved up to buy a second-hand camera and spent much of lockdown learning about his new craft via Youtube.
Since then he has started studying for a photography degree at Norwich University of the Arts (NUA) and is holding an exhibition next month.
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This will showcase a collaboration of work from NUA students at St Augustines Street art gallery Bluey Bluey.
Richard is passionate about promoting mental health support for personal reasons too, having lost friends to suicide and even his sister, Katie.
"I knew she always wanted me to get help with my addictions and turn my life around," said Richard.
"She is my inspiration for wanting to create awareness and break down stigmas of mental health."
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Richard, a father-of-three who grew up in Wymondham, has spoken previously about getting involved in drugs aged around 14 when he started smoking cannabis on the bus to college in Norwich, before escalating to ecstasy, cocaine and heroin.
Now he is planning to start a photography support group this summer at The Matthew Project, like the one which inspired his success, called Refocus.
The exhibition is being held at Bluey Bluey gallery between May 5 and 8.
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