Five bottles of wine and the moment in the back of a prison van that her life changed forever

It should have been the lowest point of her life.

But sitting in the back of the prison van as she made her way to jail, mum-of-four Lilly Lewis had a sudden moment of clarity.

The 53-year-old had already lost decades to addiction and toxic relationships and the six year sentence felt like the cherry on top of it all.

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Lilly knew she was going to use her platform to support others – raising awareness about the challenges women face in the criminal justice system.

“The day I was sentenced, I knew my life was going to get better,” the mum, from Radcliffe, told the Manchester Evening News.

“Sitting in the prison van, I knew I was going in and I was going to support people. Six months into my sentence, I contacted the sentencing judge. I wanted to thank him for my sentence.

“I told him he had given me the gift of time – time I had never had in my life. I intended to use it to become a better person and a better parent.”

Lilly’s life started with rejection. Born half-Jamaican, her mother feared her family wouldn’t accept a mixed-race child and left her in the hospital.

Samaritans (116 123) samaritans.org operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org, write to Freepost SAMARITANS LETTERS (no more information needed) and visit www.samaritans.org/branches to find your nearest branch.

For support for people feeling suicidal, if you are concerned about someone or if you are bereaved by suicide see http://shiningalightonsuicide.org.uk

CALM (0800 58 58 58)