News and views

Change Grow Live has taken part in a ground-breaking project to address the unique challenges faced by women experiencing homelessness.

This time of year is particularly difficult for people sleeping rough. In Hull, that includes a significant number of Eastern European nationals. Language and cultural barriers often prevent them from reaching out – but a new initiative is providing guidance to get people the support that they need.

Every pound invested in drug and alcohol treatment services delivers extraordinary returns: saving lives, reducing crime, easing NHS pressures, and breaking cycles of disadvantage.

In Halton, Change Grow Live’s criminal justice team have achieved a 90-100% rate of continuity of care for people leaving prison – surpassing national targets and making sure no one is left behind.

The Kitchen Table Café has become a focal point of recovery in our Halton service. Staff members and volunteers sit together with people who use the services and those in recovery, family members and people from the local community, all sharing stories and ideas.

The launch of our 2024 annual report is a time to reflect and to acknowledge our achievements despite the significant challenges the country has faced. Our dedicated team members, volunteers and peer mentors have made these results possible.

Aspire’s new ‘Community Connector’ approach is helping people to access and engage with support – and tackling stigma within communities that the service was previously unable to reach.

Today’s statistics confirm there were 5,448 deaths related to drug-poisoning in England and Wales in 2023. These statistics are more than just numbers. Every death represents a life cut short, a loved one lost, a family torn apart, and these tragedies are felt across communities and impact society as a whole.

Luci Weir leads EWE (Empowering Women Everywhere), the Vulnerable Women’s Project at Change Grow Live’s Aspire Recovery Service in Peterborough. She explains how just one of the activities, the Wildflowers outreach clinic, is breaking down barriers to support some of the country’s most vulnerable women.