I'm former pro footballer, Tony Kelly, who at just sixteen was the youngest ever first-team player for Bristol City FC. During my playing career, I developed an addiction to gambling that caused me to gamble away £500k, end up with debts of over £200k and lose loved ones.

It took a huge effort but I managed to beat my gambling addiction and start a new journey, preventing youngsters from going down this pathway, through my organisation Red Card Gambling Support Project CIC, dedicated to promoting gambling awareness and education for young people.

Gambling is the UK's fastest growing addiction, with nearly 1.4 million problem gamblers in the UK, yet there is very little help and advice available to prevent an addiction from developing or to support those who are suffering.

Our specialist workshops are designed to educate young adults on the negative impact problem gambling can have on their lives, as well as to bring awareness to those in authority, of the signs to look out for in a problem gambler. We do this by using lived-experience facilitators to present our workshops, highlighting their experience with gambling and the harm caused to their life.

Red Card Gambling Support is a C.I.C that relies on funding and donations to remain sustainable and continue our work within the Gambling education and awareness space.