Liverpool’s Lord Mayor To Open The First Ever UK Recovery Rally And March On 26th September 2009
23 September 2009
The UK's first ever Recovery March is due to take place on Saturday 26th September in Liverpool organised by SHARP Liverpool and the SPIDER Project. SHARP Liverpool is a 12-step abstinence based treatment centre in city centre Liverpool, seeing clients from the wider Merseyside region. It is part of a larger charity Action on Addiction and works closely with SPIDER, the city's main provider of relapse prevention services.Jacquie Johnston-Lynch, Head of Service at SHARP described the motivation behind this event. "Liverpool has always had a bad press when it comes to drugs, addiction, hard drinking, crime, guns etc. We want to show the other side of that coin, which is one of an amazing recovery community. People are moving from the shadows of active addiction and alcoholism into the courageous light of recovery and personal growth. I thought it was about time we celebrated what is being achieved here and then thought, lets do it for the whole of the UK not just for Liverpool. And so the idea of the first ever UK wide Recovery Rally and March was born"
Gerry Linford of the SPIDER Project commented, "There is so much good work that goes on in the addiction field that we really wanted to celebrate it and so the Spider Project are hosting a free concert after the Recovery March itself. Over 500 people are coming from all over the country so to guarantee a concert ticket please phone or email in to register for them. It's going to be a significant event for this city and the UK as a whole. Inexcess TV will be filming the event and the Lord Mayor of Liverpool will be opening the official rally on the steps of St Georges Hall ".
Jacquie added, "We are working with such amazing people, who have really crossed a huge bridge to enter this growing and thriving recovery community. Recovery is gathering momentum across the country now and Liverpool has been instrumental in passing that message on and now we are going to join together to celebrate this"
Tina, a graduate of SHARP Liverpool, now using services at the SPIDER Project stated, "This is so great to celebrate recovery, it shows people that there is a life worth having. Its not so long ago that I thought mine wasn't worth living, but now I know there is a solution to the turmoil of active addiction and alcoholism. There are fantastic lives to be had for everyone. I hope this March gives people hope!"
To register for the Recovery March contact SHARP Liverpool on:
0151 703 0679 or email ross.forrest@actiononaddiction.org.uk
Background Information
Action on Addiction continues to offer a variety of treatment services which are available for men and women across the UK including:
Clouds House - a first stage residential treatment centre for men and women.
Hope House - a second stage residential treatment centre for women only.
SHARP London, SHARP Liverpool and SHARP Bournemouth and Poole which all provide structured day treatment for men and women.
Working Recovery in Bournemouth and Poole which provides skills training to men and women.
Families Plus - working with family members trying to cope with someone who has a substance misuse problem.
Action on Addiction is the only UK charity working across the addiction field in research, prevention, treatment, professional education and family support.