News and views

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.

The General Election on 4th July 2024 is an opportunity for all political parties to commit to securing high quality drug and alcohol treatment for everyone who wants to access it.

Research shows that veterans are less likely than non-veterans to seek support for substance use. This is compounded by the fact that they’re more likely to face multiple disadvantages and have poorer treatment outcomes. As the largest provider of drug and alcohol treatment services, we can – and should – be instrumental in empowering veterans to get the support they need.