30 September 2016

For immediate release

ARCH holds its first anniversary

A service that provides recovery support for drug and alcohol users in Hillingdon has held its first anniversary.

Addiction Recovery Community Hillingdon (ARCH) is a partnership between CNWL, Hillingdon Borough Council, Blenheim CDP, Westminster Drug Project (WDP) and service user peer led charity Build on Belief (BOB).

Staff and service users as well as the current Hillingdon Mayor John Hensley attended the event, which featured the opening of the Recovery Studio - donated by the Mayor's charity appeal fund.

It will be used for therapeutic activities including group therapy around the five ways to wellbeing.

The Mayor congratulated ARCH for the fantastic work they are doing to help the residents and praised staff for their hard work.

Since its launch in August last year ARCH has supported more than 1,000 people to enter treatment.

Interim Sector Manager Ruben Seetharamdoo said: "Since ARCH opened its doors in August last year, for every single day that we have opened our doors , one Hillingdon service user has been walking out abstinent from substances, either drugs and/or alcohol.

"We have a proven track record in helping people in Hillingdon to regain control of their lives following a period of substance misuse and over the last year more than 300 people in Hillingdon recovered from their addiction through support from ARCH."

ARCH's anniversary also coincided with Recovery Month when the virtues of what being in recovery actually means is celebrated.

In this spirit, a lot of clients shared their recovery stories to everyone present.

The event also featured the Recovery Street Film Festival, which showcased inspiring three-minute films made by people affected by addiction. These featured personal accounts of addiction and recovery, and aim to challenge stereotypes, judgements and myths about addiction.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Stephenson House, 75 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PL
Tel: 020 3214 5756 e-mail:communications.cnwl@nhs.net