He's Spending 3 Days in a Bathtub to Show the World Addiction's Trap

Most people spend three days in a bathtub only when the internet is out and the snacks are plentiful. Chris Sylvester, however, is doing it to make a point. On August 7, this recovering heroin addict will plonk himself into a tub in Leeds City Square for up to 72 hours, all to illustrate the suffocating feeling of being trapped by addiction. His goal? To raise £50,000 and help others break free.

Because, let's be honest, society isn't exactly rolling out the red carpet for former crack or heroin users. Employers often balk, and that lack of opportunity can be a direct fast lane back to relapse. Chris's company, Getting Clean, is on a mission to scrub away that stigma. They're proving that people in recovery aren't just capable; they're productive, entrepreneurial, and probably make better soap than you do.

Getting Clean hires recovering addicts to craft and sell natural soaps. And because they're not messing around, 50% of their profits go directly back into supporting people in recovery. The grand vision is simple: every addict in the UK should have access to peer support and a job that helps them rebuild.

Chris knows the struggle intimately. He started using heroin at 12 and spent two decades in addiction's grim embrace, cycling through crime, prison, hospitals, and homelessness. At 35, he found recovery and realized his new purpose. After years in support roles, he had an epiphany: soap. Yes, humble soap, could be a powerful tool to help people get clean.

The TUBtrap event itself aims to sell a staggering £50,000 worth of soap, which translates into a £20,000 donation to a recovery project run by Forward Leeds. This project is notably led by people who've walked the same path, which, if you think about it, is both impressive and exactly what's needed. Beyond the three-day soak, Getting Clean will keep doing what it does best: providing jobs and a profit-sharing model that actually changes lives. Now that's a clean business plan.