When Charlie contacted a drug addiction service after years of living on the streets, she told them: "Help me or you'll find me dead." They did just that - and Charlie has embraced her true passion in life, helping other people who are homeless.
The 40-year-old, who was born in Lithuania, has been sober for several years and says she's "smashing life". She now works for one of the organisations that turned her life around and helps rough sleepers in the same position she once found herself in.
"I didn't have a good childhood," she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. "I didn't have good relations with my mum, and my dad killed himself on my 15th birthday.
"I ran away from the family home, lived in a tent, and used alcohol to numb the trauma. At 16, I found drugs - they would stay with me for the next 25 years of my life."
After a three-year prison sentence, Charlie saw an advert for agency workers in the UK. She found herself in Lincoln, working in fields and factories, unable to speak a word of English.
"I learned the language by using a dictionary and watching TV with subtitles on," she said. "Eventually, my addictions and mental health both reached breaking point, and I started to self-harm.
"I hit rock bottom eventually, and I lost my home and job. I started begging for change to feed my addiction and to survive."
Charlie was referred to Framework, a charity that supports homeless people or those at risk of losing their homes. With their support, she began getting clean through the Lincolnshire Recovery Partnership, more than 20 years after her struggles with addiction had begun.
"I had tried everything at that point - different medication, a therapist, a hypnotist. I had a great key worker at the LRP, and I told them they needed to help me or they would find me dead," she said.
"They showed me how to safely reduce my use and detox, and then got me onto Narcotics Anonymous' 12 Step programme to stay clean. Being sober is a battle every single day. In my first year of recovery, I couldn't go shopping in a supermarket because there was alcohol everywhere.
"Eventually, I learnt to cope with the cravings and urges." Now three years sober, Charlie works as an engagement planner for LRP's Rough Sleeper Drug and Alcohol Team, helping people in the same position she was once in.
"I always liked to help people, even when I was only sober for a few days. It is my passion - I like changing their lives," she said.
"I tell people 'life can be hard, life can be challenging'. The important thing is you ask for help when you need it - it will be there.
"Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness; it's a strength. I hate to see people suffering."