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UNITY
unityviews recovery in your community
A Recovery Year in Cumbria
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hat a year it’s been for Unity and all the people we work with and how heartening to see people developing their recovery ideas right across this beautiful county.
The Newsletter is designed to spread the word to those working to support recovery in Cumbria about what is being done in all the different areas of the county; to talk about how local communities are benefitting from the Recovery focus that Unity have helped to promote and that committed people in innovative Recovery organisations are putting in to action.The drive to provide long term recovery support networks has long been apparent in parts of Cumbria and the opportunity to spur on the development of individual groups around the county came with Greater Manchester West’s successful bid to become the Cumbria Drug & Alcohol service
provider from July 2012. The introduction of the Unity Asset Building Fund has enabled people with Keith Murphy, Cath Dickinson and Ashley Gibson with Bob from New Roots ideas and links at the Barrow Recovery Conversation Café in March of this year. to their local communities to all those involved with the various develop relevant ways to support groups around the county and the the ongoing recovery of people Unity staff and volunteers providing where they live. The variety of tailored support to all those who support available brings a rich come to us for help. network that links and blends with Read on to find out what has been Unity’s commissioned services to happening around the county and provide an environment of visible the next steps for the Unity Asset recovery. The foundation of hope that is developing does credit to Building Fund 2013/14.
Recovery Conversation Cafes
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OLLOWING an inspirational visit to friends at the Scottish Recovery Consortium and some practice at our Workforce Development Days we have joined the brave new world of Conversation Cafes. This is a great way to have everyone who supports recovery get together and work the links we have, forge new ones and decide on actions that relate to Recovery in the local communities of Cumbria.
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The informal Café atmosphere is designed to help everyone feel at ease and free to talk openly about real ideas that will support recovery networks and their development. It is ideally suited to the Asset Based
approach as it brings focus to the sharing of strengths and assets in a positive environment. So far Barrow and Workington have played host to events which have been vibrant and full of ideas that have included such things as social media development, ways to challenge stigma and sharing of workspace. The next Recovery Conversation Café is planned for 24th September in Carlisle.
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JIGSAWS Carlisle J
IGSAWS have been running for a few months now and meet in the YMCA at Shaddongate in Carlisle on Tuesdays from 11.00 to 1.00.
Myrtle, whose inspiration and commitment for recovery was the driving force behind Jigsaws set up is really enthusiastic about the stigma free atmosphere at the YMCA as there are so many different activities there; she feels that the supportive staff compliment what Jigsaws hope to provide for their members. Jigsaws
are always looking for new members and get involved in many local events, building their ties with other community projects. The group follow a fairly informal drop-in approach with core members facilitating and organising where necessary and they are building relationships with other recovery groups around Cumbria.
New Beginning
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EW Beginning in Workington are a popular support group that pride themselves in being accessible and having a good support network through their regular meetings at Unity Finkle Street.
They meet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons, have close links with Mind in Workington and are
hoping to develop outdoor activities, including canoeing, as a part of their structure.
Re-Focus I
N Penrith Re-Focus are a small group that want to encourage people to meet new friends in Recovery and talk to others who have been through similar experiences in an informal atmosphere. They meet every Thursday at Clint Mill between 1.00 and 3.00.
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Cumbria Gateway
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UMBRIA Gateway in Carlisle are an award winning social enterprise founded by Allison Taylor and a group of former substance users who were coming to the end of mainstream service support. They identified how easy it is to relapse at this critical time and wanted to support each other to find a long term solution. As a peer led organisation they see red flags of relapse early and respond appropriately with a structure of mutuality without collusion “you can’t kid a kidder because the kidder has been there themselves”.
led recovery course compliments their other activities which include a Breakfast Club every Tuesday at 10.00am, at
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Gateway provide accommodation for people in early recovery as well as lifeskills training and their Recovery centre is a hub of activity, a safe and welcoming environment - the open door drop-in service is also a home for volunteering/ employability opportunities. Gateway’s Bronze, Silver and Gold peer
You can’t kid a kidder because the kidder has been there themselves...
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the Church of Scotland and their Cooking Club held at Gateway every Wednesday & Friday from 12.00 to 2.00pm as well as their regular drop in sessions. And as if all that wasn’t enough they also operate a charity shop on the premises which brings more opportunity for volunteering and now a new Handyman service to the local community!
BAT Beating Addiction Together
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AT, working out of Unity Lowther Street in Whitehaven support a range of activities for people in Recovery.
These include a Lunch Club every day, Computer and Digital Photography courses, Life Skills
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Part of the rich fabric of Recovery in West Cumbria...
sessions, access to an allotment and even their own quiz. Along with New Beginning and
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Vulture Club they are part of the rich fabric of Recovery in West Cumbria. I S S U E 0 1 • J U LY 2 0 1 3
Vulture Club
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F you are interested in a diverse and interesting approach to Recovery support in West Cumbria then Vulture Club could be the place for you.
Meeting on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday members enjoy getting together to read poems, books and plays, paint and draw and have access to World Book Day with Vulture Club VC’s own Route to Recovery Programme. Based next network and their enthusiastic to the upstairs Café in the Market renditions of poems (both selfpenned and from many published Hall in Whitehaven (though have been known to meet in the park if poets) is a recovery joy to behold, the weather’s right) Vulture Club’s not to mention the play excerpt inclusive approach to membership performed at their World Book Day event in April of this year (see and range of activities gives them a real friendship based support picture).
Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous
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WELVE Step Mutual Aid Fellowships such as AA and NA have been a foundational force for Recovery for many years now and Unity recognises the importance of the positive social network and recovery focussed programme of the fellowships.
In Barrow recently the Narcotics Anonymous Public
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Relations representatives in the North West put on a Myth Busting event that was attended by local staff teams and recovery representatives and has given inspiration for joint work on the set-up of new NA meetings in the South and West of the County; watch this space!
Also, just prior to going to press, AA in Carlisle invited local people and alcohol and drug staff to a groundbreaking public meeting where they opened their doors and shared their experiences, strengths and hopes and a wish to build supportive relationships with professionals working in the field.
Unity recognises the importance of the positive social network and Recovery focussed programme of the fellowships
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Mark at New Roots with Tim Errington of Angling and Hiking Centre Ltd in Barrow
New Roots
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IKE some of the other recovery support groups around the county New Roots have their own roots in the Bridging the Gap programme that ran in Cumbria until recently. It left them with a wish to continue to support each other and to work to help others in recovery. Bob and Mark in particular have worked tirelessly to ensure that there is a place for people in recovery in Barrow to meet and be involved with others. They now meet twice a week at CADAS and work out of Unity Duke Street on Wednesdays, after moving from the neighbourhood management offices where they built some really good local community links. As well as being involved in the Conversation Café in Barrow and Unity’s local workforce development day they have linked up with the Green Heart Den in Barrow giving them access to growing their own plants and veg. To celebrate their 1st birthday they’ve just managed to get a donation of fishing equipment from a local supplier to support their next foray.
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Recovery in Your Community
Unity Asset Building Fund 2013/14 U
NITY’S Asset Building Fund has been a vital support to a number of Recovery Groups around Cumbria in the past year enabling growth and diversity of interaction between people in recovery and the wider community. We are now ready to receive applications to the 2013/14 Asset Building Fund and as well as focussing on continued support for established Recovery Groups we would hope to see a range of new bids that compliment Recovery development around the county and are particularly
interested in ideas that relate to the development of Carer support and Education, Training and Employment (ETE). This is in recognition of work still to be done in these areas and the need for support for those who support the people who access our services as well as the need to help more
people become job ready or have access to work related activities. Application Forms for this years fund are available from Sharon Chandler sharon.chandler@gmw.nhs.uk and need to be returned to Sharon by 30th August. Sharon’s alternative postal address is: Unity, 113-117 Botchergate, Carlisle CA1 1RZ. Tel: 07765 221272 If your bid is selected to go forwards to our “friendly” Dragon’s Den panel, this will be on 20th September 2013.
First Cumbria Recovery Walk
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OME one come all, we are ready for The First Cumbria Recovery Walk.
Get ready for Saturday 28th September when we will be hosting our very own Cumbria Recovery Walk. It would be great to have as many people as possible on the walk to celebrate Recovery in Cumbria in all its diversity. So pack your trainers or walking boots and come and join in the fun. (More details regarding venue and transport arrangements will be announced shortly).
Thank You & Well Done to all those whose contribution to Recovery has given us something to write about! If you would like more information about any of the articles please feel free to contact Ashley Gibson, Unity Community Development Lead Tel: 07740026269
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Bev Humphrey (left), GMW Chief Executive, with some of the Cumbria managers at the official Unity Launch at Rheged
UNITY
recovery in your community
Contact details for all of the Unity Centres which cover the area of Cumbria are as follows:
CARLISLE 113 – 117 Botchergate, CA1 1RZ Tel: 01228 882299
WORKINGTON 6 Finkle Street, CA14 2AY Tel: 01900 873791
KENDAL 39 Strickland Gate, Whitehorse Yard, LA9 4LT Tel: 01539 742780
WHITEHAVEN 21a Lowther Street, CA28 7DG Tel: 01946 590024
PENRITH 2nd Floor, Clint Mill, CA11 7HW Tel: 01768 861280
BARROW 92-96 Duke Street, LA14 1RD Tel: 01229 615651
Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Trust Headquarters, Bury New Road, Prestwich, Manchester M25 3BL Tel: 0161 773 9121 • Fax: 0161 772 3639 • Web: www.gmw.nhs.uk
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