Supporting prison leavers in recovery with Sean Chaplin

Host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe welcomes listeners to the seventh episode of Season 12 of the Meet the Mancunian podcast with Sean Chaplin, co-founder of Rehab Fitness. Sean shares how, after 30 years of addiction and 42 prison sentences, support from Acorn Recovery Services helped him rebuild his life in Manchester, motivating him to give back. He explains how he and his co-founders Kate and Liz created Rehab Fitness as a CIC offering free gym, yoga, boxing, and community activities to help people stay connected after therapy, build structure, and regain self-worth. Sean describes impact through testimonies, volunteer-led community work, and opportunities like PT courses and skydiving. He calls for kindness, reduced stigma, and greater empathy, and outlines plans to expand through partnerships and wider referrals.Did you know:  ·     Prison leavers in the UK face significant challenges with housing, employment, and rehabilitation, with approximately 50,000 individuals released annually.·     Around 35% of prison leavers require support for substance misuse according to a 2026 report. Key resource: Rehab Fitness Time stamps of key moments in the podcast episode &transcript: (01:32) From addiction to recovery(02:05) Starting Rehab Fitness(03:13) Defining success and hope(04:40) Real world impact stories(07:33) Challenges and funding(09:06) Motivation and staying well(10:34) Growth plans and how to help(13:32) Stigma and kindness 🎧Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube orwww.meetthemancunian.co.uk#Manchester #SocialImpact #Podcast#AddictionRecovery #PrisonLeavers