and experience
that can help to
inform our
responses to
alcohol, but we
need to work to
bring these
together and
provide a
coherent
approach that is
understood and
supports our
communities.
Too often
responses are characterised by one-off
initiatives or approaches that are
known to be ineffective.
Through this conference, we hope
to combine the latest research and
thinking alongside practical delivery
from differing settings. We want to
consider the political, cultural and
environmental factors that have a
significant bearing on how we
manage alcohol, and provide support
and inspiration for those working to
reduce drink-related harms.
Andy Stonard is author of
A Glass
Half Full: Drinking – reducing the harm
European Alcohol Conference:
Comparing and contrasting practice
across Europe, 24 April. London.
Details and booking at
The Ongoing Path:
a guide to stopping
addictive behaviour
and fulfilling ambition
Mark Dempster, published by
Mark Dempster Counselling, £12.99
FOLLOWING ON
from his previous
book,
Nothing to Declare: Confessions of
an Unsuccessful Drug Dealer, Smuggler
and Addict
, former
DDN
columnist Mark
Dempster has penned a practical self-
help book for service users.
In
The Ongoing Path
, Dempster
draws from his own personal and
professional experience to offer a
number of tools and resources for
individuals at all stages of recovery.
Beginning the book with reflections
on his own story, Dempster goes on to
explore the science of addiction and
ways to recovery. He also includes a
number of case studies of clients he has
worked with in the past, outlining their
personal experiences of addiction as a
means of offering a number of
examples of the recovery journey.
The final part of the book focuses on
offering advice and guidance to people
in all stages of recovery. The book
provides tips on creating a plan of
action and setting achievable goals,
offering advice on practical next steps
and further reading, support services
and online resources.
Reviews
iCan: two words that
will change everything
Richard McCann, published by
Sunmakers, £12.99
DDN
service user involvement
conference speaker Richard McCann has
used his dramatic and often tragic life
story to inspire others through both his
written work and inspirational talks.
His third book, following on from
Just A Boy: The True Story Of A Stolen
Childhood and The Boy Grows Up: The
inspirational story of his journey from
broken boy to family man, offers
readers advice and practical tips on how
to not only grow as an individual, but
also to grow a business.
Peppering the book with moving
stories of the inspirational people he has
met, McCann uses the example of how
he transformed his own life and business
as a basis for the guidance he offers. He
encourages readers to tap into their
potential, and not be held back by their
own self doubt.
Bookshelf
Recommended reading from the drug and alcohol sector…
Mark Dempster, former DDN
columnist and unsuccessful
drug dealer
The European Alcohol Conference
, to
be held in London later this month,
offers an opportunity to both think
and learn, exploring different
attitudes and practice in dealing with
alcohol. It’s a timely event, given the
current developments around alcohol
policy, with local areas exploring their
ability to influence the situation.
As senior policy manager at the
London Drug and Alcohol Policy Forum
(LDAPF), who are hosting the event,
David Mackintosh is familiar with the
challenges involved in addressing
alcohol-related harm. ‘With a few
honourable exceptions it has
remained in a narrow policy silo for
this whole period, despite alcohol
harm being a significant factor across
many priority policy areas,’ he says.
‘There are now some glimmers of a
more holistic approach and a
realisation that it’s not a peripheral
issue that only relates to a small
minority.’
There is a growing body of research
The management of alcohol
as a consumer product, a
health risk, and as part of our
economy raises different
challenges, to be tackled by
a European conference.
Andy Stonard
explains
NEW APPROACHES TO ALCOHOL
Richard McCann, broken boy
to family man
16 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| April 2015
