Making Positive Life Choices - Paul Hannaford
Paul Hannaford visited our school to speak to all year groups over two days about the dangers of drugs, gangs, knife crime and making positive life choices.
Paul shared his powerful life story — from his experiences with addiction and crime to his remarkable journey of recovery and transformation. His honesty and openness made a real impact on our students, helping them to understand the serious consequences of risky behaviour and the importance of making the right choices in life.
The sessions were thought-provoking, hard-hitting and deeply engaging. Students listened with great respect and many commented afterwards on how much they had learned and how inspiring Paul’s message was. Staff were equally impressed by his ability to connect with young people and to speak with such authenticity and passion.
Paul visiting our school reminded us of the vital work he does to educate and inspire young people across the country. His message has left a lasting impression on our school community, and we look forward to continuing important conversations about resilience, decision-making and positive futures.
Ms S Jassal – Acting Assistant Headteacher
Heer Aoja [12D]: Paul Hannaford’s talk was one of the most eye-opening assemblies we've ever had. Hearing his real-life story about the dangers of drugs, crime, and violence really made me think about the choices that can be made in our society and how easily one decision can change everything. His honesty and the way he spoke from experience made it impossible not to listen; it felt real, not like something out of a textbook. I admired how he turned his life around and now uses his past to help others avoid the same mistakes. The talk reminded me how important it is to stay focused, surround yourself with positive people, and think carefully about the path you want for your future.
Ibrahim Abdirehman [12G]: I feel that there are few talks that are memorable. This, however, is the type of story I'd one day tell my kids as a lecture. What caught my attention was the depth in which he explored how deeply his addiction not only hurt him, but those around him as well. That's no longer just self harm; to cause suffering to those you love the most is something I'd never want anyone to experience. It's really impressive how he turned himself around, and how he now dedicates himself to prevent anyone from feeling and causing that pain. I honestly admire that.
Ramyaa Roshini Chandrasegaram [12E]: With Paul Hannaford's appearance to the school, I initially thought that his drug awareness speech would be full of cliches and gibberish . This is only because of the previous drug awareness speeches I have had from individuals have been passive, giving me the impression they were only here for the pay and nothing else. However, Paul's speech had been memorable and stood out to me because his entire speech had been a huge anecdote. There was nothing more than his own experiences, which made me reflect on how the previous speeches I had been to; they had only re-told other peoples stories, making their speech dull, robotic and very "script-like".
Paul's speech, on the other hand, was interactive and full of emotion and passion for this subject of expertise. Not only had he experienced the dangers of drugs, but had been brave enough to use his near-death experience, to educate others.
One part that really stood out to me was when he got up on the stage and pulled up the leg of the trouser to show his scars and the bleeding wound. Prior to this he had shown us images of maggots eating away at his infections, exposing himself to show the rest of us the gruesome sides of his drug abuse. This made me think of how grateful I am to never come across any bad influences at school when I was younger and impressionable, because I wasn't mature enough to make decisions for myself. I also remember feeling happy I was never the type of girl to worry myself to sleep about drugs but instead worried more about homework and Roblox.
Leyla Besic [7B]: Paul Hannaford’s talk was educational and provided awareness of the dangers of drugs. He told us how drugs can make you forget about important things like your family, make you willing to do illegal things and that the consequences of taking them can be tragic.
He also spoke about the fact that carrying a knife for self-defence is more likely to lead to someone’s death or you and your friends going to jail than anything else. Paul spoke about the fact that you can be manipulated into committing crime or joining gangs but that you always have a choice to do the right thing. He also shows that even if you have done wrong in the past you still have time for redemption.
Simrat Longani [7Y]: I thought the assembly was excellent because Paul explained his life story to us to show how he got addicted and what the dangers of drugs are. He also built the students confidence and I thought we all benefitted a lot from the assembly.
Luna Augusto Velasco [11W]: Paul Hannaford gave us all some detailed insight on his past as a drug addict and gang member. He also shared what his life is currently like, because of his past actions. Paul made sure to constantly remind us throughout the assembly that everything we do has consequences and we decide everything that we do - no one can force us to do anything. Hearing his experiences and how this still affects him today, acted as a deterrent, but also as a reminder of what is morally wrong and what is right. However, also hearing how he was able to overcome his challenges gave us hope that targets can be achieved through dedication and perseverance.
Alpi Uddin Bhuyan [11W]: Last week, we were fortunate enough to welcome a speaker; an activist against the growing plague of gang activity, knife crime and the use of illegal substances. Through his own experience, Paul Hannaford shared his own story of addiction and how it led him to pursue crime in order to fund his growing addiction. His path not only led to his incarceration, but also to a collapse of his personal life. His story started off as a relatable one for many. He was a boy with aspirations in sports endeavours, but the introduction to illicit drugs acted as a catalyst of his decline. His story highlights drug use is negative, and it proves that impressionable youths can destroy their lives if introduced to such substances and can destruct their dreams. Personally, the talk was impactful as it resonated with not only mine, but the vulnerable state of mind of some of my peers. A further take away was that despite the pressures and stress we are faced with, due to our upcoming GCSE examinations, perseverance is key and really is the only way we can achieve success.
During our School’s Open Evening, I had the wonderful privilege of giving a speech to prospective students and parents, sharing my experiences as a member of our school community. I took the opportunity to talk about my growth as an individual at Heston as well as the bountiful opportunities provided to me over the seven years I have been here. I enjoyed highlighting the supportive environment, dedication of teachers, and lasting memories I have made to demonstrate the invaluable importance the School holds to me. Through my speech, I hoped to have given parents insight into the incredible environment Heston presents so that they can make the best decision for their child. I am so grateful that I was able to play a part in showcasing what makes our school a hospitable, welcoming and inspiring institution in which to learn and grow. 
My First Days at Heston 
Settling In at Heston
Rudra Bamrah [7Y]
Harnav Singh [7P]
Transition Day
Muhammad Ali Babar [12H]
Magdalena Budai [12G]
Ashneet Arora [12D]
