RecoveRy
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RecoveRy
in action
A beautiful bank holiday campout
confirmed that recovery is bursting with life
in Lancashire, says James Williamson
O
n a beautiful August
bank holiday weekend,
more than 150 people
from Lancashire’s
flourishing recovery
movement celebrated their seventh
annual campout at LUFStock18. Salus
Withnell Hall, one of the north west’s
leading drug and alcohol detox and
rehab centres, provided the perfect
venue. Set in 14 acres of beautiful
grounds and woodlands, the centre is
run in partnership with CAIS, the
leading voluntary sector provider of
personal support services in Wales.
Campers enjoyed plenty of fun
activities in the grounds, including
football coaching, games, songs and
storytelling around the campfire. A
particular highlight was a special
performance from the Fallen Angels
Dance Theatre.
Qualified football coach, barbecue
chef and CAIS director of residential
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services Leon Marsh said the team at
Salus were thrilled to host the event
alongside partners from the Lancashire
User Forum and Red Rose Recovery: ‘We
were really pleased to play a small part
in such a big statement of the power of
recovery, right here in our own
grounds,’ he said. ‘Everyone involved in
the organisation of this fantastic event,
and everyone who attended, shared the
common goal of celebrating and
enjoying recovery – and that’s what
made the weekend so special.
‘It’s often the simple things which
make the biggest difference,’ he added.
‘It was great to hear the buzz and
excitement of children toasting
marshmallows around the campfire.
And it’s been wonderful to have such
great feedback from many of those
who attended.’
Campers were also offered free
blood-borne virus testing, naloxone
training, and naloxone kits to take
away, thanks to the support of local
teams from CGL Inspire.
The annual campout is a grassroots
event, and offers an inclusive space for
people in the recovery community,
their families, and others interested in
or affected by addiction to connect.
Peter Yarwood from Red Rose
Recovery said the weekend’s events
were a prime example of effective co-
production. ‘It was really refreshing to
work with an organisation which looks
at what it can give rather than what it
can take from the service user
community,’ he said. ‘Both in the lead-
up to the weekend, and during, all our
peers found that the team from Salus
wanted to bring somethin g to the
party. That set the scene for us to
create an event where everyone had a
great time.’
The event wasn’t about titles or
authority, he added. ‘Everyone was on
the same level, everyone had the
opportunity to be part of the activities,
and everyone had something to
contribute. That means a lot in a
community which is often stigmatised
and marginalised. This was a fine
example of co-production in action – it
really was a beautiful thing.’
Leon said the team at Salus
Withnell Hall would continue to forge
mutually beneficial relationships with
the recovery community. ‘It really was
a privilege to be part of the weekend,’
he said. ‘This was true co-production –
combining people with experience of
substance misuse, their families and
loved ones, recovery services, harm
reduction, public health, and the third
sector in visible and infectious
recovery. We’re looking forward to
continuing to work with the Lancashire
User Forum, Red Rose Recovery and
other partners in the weeks, months
and years ahead.’
James Williamson works at CAIS
October 2018 | drinkanddrugsnews | 25