News
New Drug & Alcohol Help Centre Opening in Harlow
Next Friday, 27th January 2012, sees the official launch of a new treatment centre for people struggling with drug and alcohol addictions.
Open Road is a local charity with over 20 years experience in the field and will operate the service from a dedicated new centre in Wych Elm, just a short walk from the town centre. Previously based at Aylmer House, Open Road will now have its own, larger space and better facilities to support individuals with a wide range of needs. Robert Halfon will be guest of honour and will officially open the centre. Robert, as well as being MP for Harlow, is a patron of Open Road and a strong supporter of organisations that tackle social issues and their impact on the community.
Open Road offers a wide range of services including structured day programmes and counselling. Open Road’s approach is to support people on their journey to recovery – this means getting them well and addiction-free but also helping them get back into normal life as useful members of their community and wider society.
Staff and volunteers will be on hand to welcome guests and tell them lots more about the services on offer.
Sarah Wright, Open Road’s CEO says: ‘We are delighted with our new centre in Harlow. For over two years we have provided services to the local community from shared facilities, and community centres. To now have a dedicated centre will improve the quality and effectiveness of our treatment to the people of Harlow and hence help more people on the road to recovery. We already have a really good network of contacts in local partner organisations who support our clients and their families in other ways, with housing, relationships, health, debt or other problems. This means our clients receive a really ‘joined up’ service.’
Michelle, who has accessed Open Road’s services in Harlow to help recover form her drug problem said: “Engaging with Open Road was the best decision I could have made, I owe so much to them. They were there for me when I was at my lowest. I was referred to counselling which really helped with issues from my past. Open Road is helping me look at getting back to doing courses and the in the long term a job. Now I’m proud to say I’m free of all drugs and a great mum to my two sons and little girl. Open Road helped to turn my life round.”
Open Road Harlow will provide a range of services and programmes with the aim of helping clients and their families on the road to recovery. ‘We offer individual attention, confidentiality, trust and above all hope for the future. This has been our guiding principle for over 20 years and continues to be effective for the vast majority of our clients.’
The opening of the Harlow Centre brings the number of Open Road centres in Essex to nine. There are also three new centres in Suffolk. In addition outreach services are offered at a number of locations including GP surgeries across the two counties.
Notes to Editors:
Open Road is a registered charity and leading provider of drug and alcohol treatment services in the East of England. For over 20 years Open Road has delivered high quality services to empower individuals and families to recover from the harmful impact of drugs and alcohol. Every year Open Road helps thousands of individuals and their families, offering a range of one to one support, group therapy and harm reduction services. Open Road currently employs 90 staff and has a team of over 100 volunteers who actively support our work.
Open Road is funded through both the Essex and the Suffolk Drug and Alcohol Action Partnerships, Primary Care Trusts, the Big Lottery Fund, charitable trusts and individual donations. In 2010/11 Open Road is expected to receive over £2 million in income.
For further information about this event and Open Road please contact: Carol Macaskill, Marketing & Communications Manager on tel: 01206 369782 Email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).