Basic HTML Version
THE UK RECOVERY
WALK CHARITY
exists to spread
the message that
‘prevention works,
treatment is
effective, and
recovery is a lived
reality in millions
of people’s lives’.
Our primary
purpose is to
deliver these
messages of hope to the cultures of addiction in
our treatment systems and communities, and
the charity’s leaders are all people who are in
long-term recovery from addiction. In order that
we don’t get diverted from our primary purpose
we are not involved in mental health advocacy
and wider social justice issues. We have no
opinion on political and philosophical
ideologies, different approaches to community
development and public health, or whose truth
is better and more beautiful than anyone else’s.
Since our formation in April 2013 we have
brought the film
The Anonymous People
to more
than 40 locations throughout the UK to raise
awareness of our mission, and so far we have
been able to sign up nearly 700 members. We
have also developed various resources to help
mobilise, support and unify the UK recovery
movement, all of which are free to download
from our website, including
Advocacy with
anonymity, using your story, top tips for media,
and recovery community organisations’ toolkit
.
During the past year we have co-produced
the 2014 UK Recovery Walk with the Greater
Manchester Recovery Federation and in addition
we have:
•
Developed two training courses: ‘Our stories
have power’ with accompanying Q&A booklet,
and The ‘UK Recovery Coach Manual’,
complete with training exercises. (These can all
be downloaded free from our website.)
•
Launched the Association of Community
Recovery Organisations (ACRO), inspired by
Faces and Voices of Recovery in the US.
•
Launched The ‘Give it back’ campaign (every
September) – a national and regional media
campaign to showcase examples of
individuals and groups in long-term recovery
voluntarily giving something back to their
local communities.
•
Organised our sell-out conference, ‘Advocacy in
Action’ (the day before the UK Recovery Walk)
in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan
University, which we hope will inform, inspire
and guide our own movement.
The UK Recovery Walk charity is the only
organisation in the UK with an explicit mission
to respond to the organisational and leadership
development needs of grassroots addiction
recovery community organisations, and to
develop and unify addiction recovery advocacy
in the UK. Why not visit our website at
www.ukrecoverywalk.org and even join the
charity (it’s free!) and support our work for the
next year, when our priorities will be:
•
Co-producing the 7th UK Recovery Walk in
Durham in September 2015.
•
Developing non-stigmatising, evidence-based
narratives for the recovery advocacy movement
to engage the public and policymakers.
•
Advocating for the promotion of laws and
social policies that reduce alcohol and other
drug problems and support recovery for those
suffering from addiction to them.
•
Organising and supporting local and national
advocacy campaigns.
•
Further developing the Association of
Recovery Community Organisations to
support local action.
•
Developing a leadership forum to increase
leadership capacity and capability in the UK
recovery movement.
We look forward to seeing you at the 6th UK
Recovery Walk in Manchester on 13 September
to celebrate the achievements of individuals in
recovery, and acknowledge the work of
prevention, treatment, and recovery services.
Annemarie Ward is CEO of the UK Recovery
Walk charity, www.ukrecoverywalk.org
September 2014 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| 19
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
Treatment |
UK Recovery Walk
‘Each and every
one of Broadway
Lodge’s employees
and clients has
brought some-
thing different to
the table...’
‘BY OUR SILENCE
WE LET OTHERS
DEFINE US’
In the run-up to the UK Recovery Walk this month,
Annemarie Ward
looks at how far the charity has come
and where it’s heading
Other initiatives include the ‘recovery renewal’
programme, which encourages clients to participate
in a number of therapy sessions and group activities
that encourage personal development and reinforce
recovery. A family programme works in conjunction
with this, allowing family members and carers of
those in recovery to come forward and share their
experiences with others who understand what they
are going through.
Our milestone anniversary has inspired us to
create a programme of festivities, from a golf day and
kayak race earlier in the year, to a reunion celebration
and a black-tie evening with rugby union player
Gareth Chilcott as a guest speaker.
Buoyed by all those who have made it a success,
Broadway Lodge will continue to expand, evolving
with its clients and offering specialist support where
it’s needed. Here’s to the next 40 years!
DDN
For more information on the events being held by
Broadway Lodge to mark its anniversary, visit
www.broadwaylodge.org.uk/events
NG