I first came to A.A. in 1996. My drinking was getting out of control. The circumstances were painful, so I moved from East London to Birmingham to study. I was about 22 years old. I thought I might be able to moderate my drinking; I believed an external factor would stop me, and I convinced … More School teacher Mark’s story

I was born in Chingford eight days before the end of the Second World War. They pushed my mum’s bed into the garden so that she could see the victory celebrations. She was really ill when she had me and was pissed off, as mum was an ambulance driver during the war. I grew up … More Dorothy’s story.

Below you can read how Bill and other members helped created General Service Board of A.A at the 1957 convention of England and Wales. At the start of the convention Bill H was asked to speak on the General Service Board of A.A. for Great Britain and Ireland, how and why it was created. Read … More Bill H – How the General Service Board began.

Mike was a hero in his own story.Not the kind with capes or headlines—but the kind who faced himself, changed course, and kept walking.He’d come through serious life challenges—the kind that leave marks.But the man I knew was present, kind, spiritual, and generous.Twenty years of continuous sobriety, one day at a time.That’s twenty years of … More My friend Mike. Eulogy by V R.

Willie is my name, and I’m an alcoholic. I came into Alcoholics Anonymous through the grace of God and the prison system. I didn’t think I was an alcoholic, not in a million years. Even when my drinking spiralled out of control and eventually ended up…again, back in Cork prison for a lengthy sentence, it wasn’t nice, you get nothing in prison when detoxing from alcohol. I was in the recreational … More Willie’s story.

The below was written by a longtime London member of the fellowship who sadly had moved on to the meeting in the sky. A butterfly blessing was written by Jacob/Lazarus. A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it … More A Butterfly Blessing

I was a beautiful baby…. Apparently, born in Hampstead, which was a good start, and then we moved to Tottenham. I was never right; I could never figure out why. Then I went and had a pint at the Goat in Tottenham, which is no longer with us. It was an original Wetherspoons. It was … More Sean C’s story.

I was brought up on the borders of Essex and East London.  As a child, I was full of fear and wasn’t well. Drinking alcohol was in our culture; I can’t say I had a moment where I picked up a drink, and everything changed. That wasn’t how it was for me. My first real … More Penny’s story.

Ironing board Arthur sober 1955 – this was done in 1985 an this is a transcribed talk he did at a convention, possibly Manchester. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, my name’s Arthur and I’m an alcoholic. I drank because I liked drinking, I didn’t go about in tea bars as I see many do now … More Transcribed talk of ‘Ironing board’ Arthur

My name is Jack; I’m 27 years sober (2025). Before coming to A.A., I knew nothing. There are a lot of bad things and good things that go on for people, I do understand; all of my words are locked in my brain because of my stroke, and I cannot say the words.   I’m originally from … More Jack’s story.