Former Glamorgan batsman Wayne Law has thanked the Professional Cricketers Association Benevolent Fund for saving his life – twice coming to his aid when he was most in need.
Law, who was released by Glamorgan at the end of the 2000 season after four years on the county’s staff, found himself in the Priory in Bristol after contemplating suicide when a long-term relationship broke up for the second time in 2016.
The PCA Benevolent Fund originally helped Law in 2014 by making regular financial payments to help him get his life back on track after the initial break up and they stepped in again last year when Law hit rock bottom and was addicted to painkillers.
Law is grateful to the PCA Benevolent Fund for the prompt attention he received and is one of seven cricketers, including former Glamorgan captain and coach Matthew Maynard, who have appeared in a new film to promote the work of the Benevolent Fund.
The PCA Benevolent Fund, which is generously supported by Royal London, was established in the year that Law was released by Glamorgan to help former and current players and their dependants in times of hardship and upheaval, or to readjust to the world beyond the game.
A Legacy Year Appeal has been launched to mark the 50th anniversary of the PCA with the aim of raising a further £250,000 for the Benevolent Fund.
“When you finish with cricket, you take things in a bad way and regret ever playing it. You leave all your cricket friends behind,” Law said.
“I was off the rails, in a bad frame of mind. My partner left and took the kids, and I was addicted to painkillers, taking 15-25 a day. I was drinking a lot and at my lowest. I couldn’t see any way out. I didn’t feel alive, just numb. I had no money.
“I was contemplating suicide. People will say: ‘Oh, but you’ve got kids, family.’ But when you’ve hit that low, you don’t care about yourself and nothing seems real.
“In 2014 I first became aware of the PCA and they told me: we could sort this out. And it was ‘we’, it wasn’t ‘you’. It was a weight off my shoulders.”
Although the 38-year-old was reconciled with his partner they broke up again last year by which time it was decided that he needed a period of rehabilitation, funded by the PCA Benevolent Fund, for his addictions,
“I began speaking to a consultant in London, talking about how I felt, and he thought the best course of action was to go to the Priory in Bristol,” Law said.
“Within 24 hours, I was there. I had gone from feeling numb and hopeless to having a network and team around me. I could ring them at 3am or 5am in the morning, it didn’t matter – so long as I was safe. It kick-started me.
“When you’re in professional sport, everyone on the outside assumes you are on a good wage, have a nice car, have a good flat. But the truth is, sport is a high-pressure job. If you don’t score your runs, take your wickets, you’re fighting for your contract.
“Luckily for me, the PCA intervened and saved my life, and saved my children’s and family’s life as well. It would have brought so much heartache into their lives if I had done something stupid.”
Law decided to speak out to show his appreciation of the support he has received from the Benevolent Fund in dealing with addiction and depression while wanting to encourage other PCA members to reach out for help.
To help the PCA Benevolent Fund to continue providing wide-ranging support you can donate £5 by texting BENF17 £5 to 70070 or by visiting here.