makes deliberate use of nature in its recovery model. Outdoor activities, from gardening to woodland walks, are woven into programmes – part of a growing recognition that physical activity and connection to the natural environment can enhance psychological wellbeing and support recovery.
ONGOING CHALLENGES Like many services in the sector, Bosence hasn’ t been immune to wider pressures. Cuts to treatment budgets, workforce shortages, and the ongoing challenge of sustaining residential provision all loom large – but our longevity and adaptability are evidence that
The number of services offering both medically managed detoxification and structured residential rehabilitation on a single site has become vanishingly small.
such services can thrive with the right support
Residential treatment is sometimes seen as the last resort, but in reality it should be part of a balanced system of care. For some people, that period of stability in a structured environment is the difference between life and death. We need to keep making the case that residential services are not a luxury – they’ re essential.
Looking ahead, Bosence is determined to play its part in shaping the future of residential treatment in the UK. The organisation’ s membership of networks such as Choices and Collective Voice ensures that our experiences and insights feed into national conversations about policy, commissioning, and best practice.
BEHIND THE STATISTICS For all the talk of policy and systems, what matters most at Bosence are the individual lives we’ ve changed. Over the years, countless residents have moved from crisis and dependence to stability, recovery, and reconnection with family, work, and community. One former resident summed it up simply:‘ Bosence gave me a second chance. I walked in broken and I walked out with hope. That’ s something I never thought I’ d feel again.’ Such stories illustrate why, three decades on, our work remains as vital as ever.
As Bosence celebrates its 30th anniversary, the focus is firmly on the future. By modernising our therapeutic model, embedding inclusivity, and continuing to integrate evidence-based care with the wisdom of lived experience, the service aims to remain a beacon of hope for decades to come.
We’ re proud of what Bosence has achieved, but we’ re not standing still. This anniversary is not just a chance to celebrate, it’ s a chance to look forward – to ask how we can keep adapting, keep learning, and keep making recovery possible for everyone who needs it.
Bet the farm
Kate Prosser describes the origins and development of Bosence in this extract from her 30th anniversary open day speech
Back in the late‘ 80s, Dave Bilk – the brother of jazz legend Acker Bilk – was working with homeless people in Penzance. He saw that many of them wanted to recover from addiction, but they had nowhere safe to go where they weren’ t surrounded by alcohol or drugs. So with the support of his employers – Penwith Housing Concern – and local organisations including the Quakers, Chapel Street Methodist Church and the old area health authority, he found this farm, Bosence.
With grit, fundraising, and no small amount of stubbornness, he and a small team transformed this place into a safe haven. The first service user walked through our doors in 1995. In those days, people stayed for up to 18 months, supporting each other in recovery through the 12 steps. Over time, the project grew, developed a national reputation, and became a charity in
So many of our team have walked this journey themselves – living proof that recovery is not only possible, but sustainable.
its own right in 2001. Since then, thousands of people have lived, healed, and rebuilt their lives here. And that’ s really the heart of our story – lives changed, families reunited, potential rediscovered.
When I joined Bosence in 2012, around 220 people were coming through our doors each year. Last year, it was over 450. But the number of people needing residential treatment is growing quicker than we are. People are coming to us with more complex needs, from new and emerging drugs to mental and physical health difficulties to the pressures of poverty and isolation.
Today, around 20 per cent of our staff are in recovery – most having once been residents here. So many of our team have walked this journey themselves – living proof that recovery is not only possible, but sustainable.
Kate Prosser is CEO at Bosence Farm
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