CHAPTER 3: A New Life Built
From *The Redemption Journey* by William “Bill” Doody
“Sobriety gave me the chance to build again — this time with family, stability, and purpose at the centre.”
A New Season
By my early thirties, I had a life that looked nothing like the chaos I’d come from. I was sober, I had a growing business, and I was trusted in the recovery community. I wasn’t just surviving anymore — I was providing, building, and showing up. It was a new season of life, and it brought with it new responsibilities.
Marriage and Fatherhood
I got married in 2003 to Agnes, a French woman I’d met in Bristol. Together we built a home and had two sons: Max, born in 2005, and Loïc, in 2008. Having more children and this time, full time, changed everything. Suddenly, my decisions weren’t just about me anymore. I had more mouths to feed, lives to shape, and a future to protect. I took that responsibility seriously and welcomed the opportunity to do it again.
A Shift in Direction
As much as I valued the fireplace and chimney business, I knew I needed something more stable and scalable. At that time Agnes said that she wanted to move back to France and I wanted to move out of physical labour — not because I wasn’t proud of it, but because I was getting older and needed to think long-term. Around that time, with support and encouragement, I retrained in IT and got a BSc in Computer Science at the University of Bristol.
From Tradesman to Consultant
I secured a role at (Logica) CGI in my last year of study, one of the world’s largest IT and business consulting firms. That opened up a new chapter. I went from self-employed tradesman to delivering programmes for major UK government departments. I ended up managing multiple projects for the Ministry of Justice, including a sensitive piece of work overseeing the deletion of outdated Crown Court records across national court databases. The risks were significant — delete the wrong records, and you create real legal consequences. But I delivered it successfully, without incident.
Full Circle
At one point, I remember wondering whether some of the very case records being deleted might have included my own past convictions. I’ll never know for sure. But in a strange and symbolic way, it felt like I had come full circle: once a problem in the system, now trusted to help manage it. I had also been granted Top Secret security clearance. That meant something — not just professionally, but personally. It was a mark of trust. It was the government confirming that they accepted I had been rehbilliated. A symbol that who I had become was more important than who I had been.
Giving Back Through Work
In my first year at CGI, I was instrumental in bringing a homelessness charity called StreetShine into the London office. It allowed people who were rebuilding their lives to come in weekly, shine shoes, and earn money with dignity. I also helped build a sponsored degree programme with Winchester University that gave 18-year-olds the opportunity to earn a full salary while working at CGI, with all fees paid. Hundreds have now gone through that scheme. I was one of the three people who designed and launched it.
Becoming Established
By then, I was no longer just a man in recovery — I was a husband, a father, a homeowner, a team leader, a man with goals and credibility. I was contributing to society, not taking from it. I paid my taxes. I worked hard. I kept learning. I stayed accountable.
Facing Life’s Challenges
Of course, life still had its challenges. Marriage, work, parenting — they all brought stress and complexity. But I was meeting those challenges sober and responsible. That in itself was a daily win.
Something to Be Proud Of
Looking back, this was one of the most productive and meaningful phases of my life. It didn’t erase my past, but it built something solid on top of it. Something I could be proud of. Something I’d fought for — and earned.
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