Harm reduction – Humankind

Tag: Harm reduction

Paul Townsley responds to drug-related deaths in 2022

Jack Keery

The Office for National Statistics today released new figures on the number of people who died from drug related causes in England and Wales during 2022.

In England and Wales during 2022, 4,907 people died as a result of drugs.

Paul Townsley, CEO of Humankind, said:

“Along with everyone at Humankind, my thoughts and deepest sympathies are with anyone who has lost a loved one. Their deaths will devastate families and communities up and down the country. Those 4,907 sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, friends and partners have gone far too soon.

“Reducing this tragic loss of life is a long-term, generational challenge. Funding from the Government’s drug strategy has enabled us to start rebuilding our treatment and recovery system after a decade of disinvestment but there’s a huge amount more to do.

“We know it is people facing multiple disadvantage who are most likely to die. As charities we have the flexibility to wrap around those challenges and provide the housing, employment and mental health support which buttresses recovery and reduces harm. Our upcoming merger with Richmond Fellowship will enable us to do that here at Humankind.

“But as a society, we can only reduce deaths and the health inequalities that drive them through targeted, sustained and ring-fenced investment for the full ten years of the drug strategy and in the places those disparities are felt the most. These include the North East, the North West and Yorkshire – all of which Humankind is proud to serve.

“As a field we must continue to collaborate on established and emerging challenges, such as the worrying rise of synthetic opioids or support for people with both mental health and drug/alcohol support needs.”

News

Recovery Steps in South Cumbria becomes first Humankind-led service to micro-eliminate hepatitis C

Jasmine Rocks

The Recovery Steps team in South Cumbria, each holding up a piece of paper that collectively spell 'Micro eliminated"

We are delighted to highlight Recovery Steps in South Cumbria as the first of Humankind’s services to micro-eliminate hepatitis C.

Recovery Steps in South Cumbia, which we run in partnership with The Well, offers integrated drug and alcohol services operating from sites in Barrow in Furness and Kendal since October 2021.

Hepatitis C is a blood borne virus (BBV) that can cause damage to the liver if left untreated. People who inject drugs are particularly at risk of contracting a BBV.

One aspect of the support Recovery Steps Cumbria provides is to actively test people for hepatitis C, and ensure treatment is available if a positive test is returned.

Deborah Moores, National Hepatitis C Coordinator at Humankind, said:

“I am absolutely delighted that Recovery Steps in South Cumbria has micro eliminated hepatitis C. This has undoubtedly improved and even saved the lives of people we support.

“It’s fair to say this has been a marathon and not a sprint, but the excellent partnerships between the Operational Delivery Networks (ODN), hepatitis C nurses, The Hepatitis C Trust and the dedication of our team in South Cumbria has resulted in Humankind micro eliminating the virus for the first time in a Humankind-led service. Considering Recovery Steps Cumbria is a little over two years old, it is a remarkable achievement.”

What does it mean to have ‘micro-eliminated’ hepatitis C?

Micro-elimination has been developed as a new way of tackling hepatitis C in local areas. It uses a series of targets to ensure that people are being diagnosed and getting the treatment they need quickly and easily.

Micro-elimination of hep C means that Recovery Steps Cumbria have reached the following targets:

  • 100% of people in treatment have been offered a hepatitis C test.
  • 100% of those with a history of injecting drugs have been tested and have a known antibody status.
  • 90% of people who currently used drugs which are injected, or have done so previously, have had a hep C test date within the last 12 months and have a known antibody status.
  • 90% of HCV positive patients have commenced treatment.

By meeting all the four criteria, Recovery Steps Cumbria has micro eliminated hepatitis C in South Cumbria.

Testing for hep C is undertaken by recovery coordinators at Recovery Steps Cumbria, but the BBV screening and provision of treatment for positive patients has been facilitated by Healthcare Assistant Chelsie Goldsack, who has been heavily praised by the team for her work.

To ensure 100% accuracy of reporting, the data at the service has been collated manually and we regularly cross reference data with the Operational Delivery Networks (ODN). The service enjoys an effective partnership with the ODN and the Hepatitis C Trust who have supported them towards achieving elimination.

Becky White, Area Manager at Recovery Steps Cumbria, said:

“I couldn’t be prouder of my South Cumbria team’s work to achieve micro-eliminate of hepatitis C. Our recovery coordinators have devoted so much time to testing for hep C, and ensuring people receive the treatment they need, which has a direct impact on ensuring they can live a life that is meaningful to them.”

As well as testing and treatment, prevention of infection is important and we offer a Needle and Syringe Programme (NSP) in Cumbria for this reason. People who use our services can access clean needles and equipment for free. Providing the NSP ensures the reduction of substance related health and social harms, including transmission of BBVs.

Dr Ioannis Gkikas, Clinical Lead for the Lancashire and South Cumbria Hepatitis C ODN, said:

“I would like to extend my congratulations to the service for this remarkable achievement within an impressive two-year timeframe.

Your commitment, systemic approach in testing and unwavering dedication to the elimination of hep C plan have undoubtedly played a pivotal role in reaching this milestone.

“It is truly commendable that this has been achieved at such an accelerated pace. On behalf of the Hepatitis C ODN in Lancashire and South Cumbria, I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the team for this outstanding achievement.

“Your collective commitment to this cause is making a significant impact on shared goal of eliminating hepatitis C.”

To learn more about Recovery Steps Cumbria and see a full list of places involved in the Needle and Syringe Programme, please visit www.humankindcharity.org.uk/service/recovery-steps-cumbria/

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Pharmacy staff save two lives after timely naloxone training

Jack Keery

Wicker pharmacy staff holding naloxone kits after being trained to use them

Medication that can save the lives of people who are overdosing on opioids has recently been used by staff at Wicker Pharmacy.

Following timely training by our new local drug and alcohol service, Likewise, pharmacy staff used naloxone to revive two people. Naloxone is a medication that temporarily reverses the effects of an overdose from opioids like heroin. When administered, it buys crucial time while waiting for the emergency services to arrive.

Our new community service recently launched in Sheffield on 1 August offering support to people experiencing issues around drug and alcohol use. Likewise is a partnership between national charity Humankind and Project 6.

One aspect of this support is harm reduction, which includes equipping people who use drugs, their friends, loved ones and professionals with naloxone kits and training them to use the medication effectively in an emergency.

Staff at Wicker Pharmacy undertook training sessions with Likewise during August to ensure they were able to respond should someone near their premises accidentally overdose.

Within one week of completing this training, staff members were called upon to apply their learning in real-life situations where people had overdosed. Without hesitation, they stepped up to save their lives.

One of these staff members was Joseph Ridge, a trainee pharmacy technician at Wicker.

“A member of the public came into the pharmacy reception and said that someone had collapsed nearby,” Joseph said. “As soon as I could, I went down the street and saw three other members of the public stood around the person collapsed on the floor. The members of the public were already on the phone to the ambulance service.”

Joseph realised the person’s condition was extremely serious, so he called his colleague and asked them to bring the pharmacy’s defibrillator and their naloxone kits.

As soon as his colleague arrived, he administered the naloxone to the person in need. There was unfortunately no response at this point.

Joseph remembered from his training that further doses of naloxone can be administered if someone experiencing an overdose remains unresponsive after a short amount of time has passed. After a couple of minutes, he decided to try again and administered a second dose of naloxone.

“Thankfully, the person did then come around,” Joseph said. “They still weren’t fully with us, but they were now moving on the floor. Quite quickly after that, the emergency services arrived and continued to tend to them.”

In no uncertain terms, Joseph’s ability to effectively apply the learning from his naloxone training saved the person’s life.

A similar situation occurred the same week as this incident on Wicker Pharmacy’s premises, which also led to another member of their team administering naloxone to someone they suspected was experiencing an opioid overdose. Their life was also saved by this team member’s action.

“The naloxone training was really useful,” Joseph continued. “There wasn’t anything I felt unsure about. It was obvious the person was unconscious and the ambulance service on the phone was also very supportive. They said if there was naloxone available, I should definitely use it. There was no hesitation from anyone involved.”

All staff at Wicker Pharmacy who may find themselves in a similar situation have now been fully trained by Likewise and equipped to use it in an emergency, like Joseph and his colleague.

Jon Findlay, National Harm Reduction Lead at Humankind who led the naloxone training with Wicker Pharmacy staff, said: “Knowing people have directly saved someone’s life after engaging with your training offer is one of the most rewarding feelings I can imagine. Joseph and his colleagues are nothing short of heroes and I’m so thankful to them for carrying naloxone. It cannot be said enough: naloxone saves lives.”

Ellie Bennett, Managing Director at Wicker Pharmacy, said: “When we organised the training, I wasn’t expecting it to be put it into practice so quickly, but thanks to Jon from Likewise our staff felt confident enough to administer the naloxone when it was needed. I am really proud of the way they responded.”

Graham Parsons, Pharmacy Director at Humankind, said: “Forging strong partnerships with people and organisations in local communities is at the heart of what we do. Without those partnerships, our work to support people with their drug and alcohol use, and ultimately reverse the trend of increasing deaths due to drugs, would be far less effective.

“We want to thank Wicker Pharmacy staff for their dedication to this cause and encourage anyone who wants to engage with our harm reduction training to contact us.”

Greg Fell, Director of Public Health at Sheffield City Council, said: “The prompt actions of Joseph and his colleagues at the Wicker Pharmacy are recognised and applauded. The fact that they had been trained and were in possession of naloxone at the times of these events undoubtedly saved the lives of two people.

“Naloxone is a game-changer, it is effective and very simple to use. Training can be provided.

“Sheffield City Council, in collaboration with Humankind and Likewise, is currently reviewing and expanding the provision of naloxone across the city and together we hope to save many more lives”

International Overdose Awareness Day takes place on 31 August every year. People who use drugs, their friends, loved ones, professionals, and even members of the public who may encounter someone they suspect could have overdosed are being encouraged by the new Likewise service to engage with their free naloxone training, get a kit, and save a life.

Harm reduction is seen as one of several key tools in plans to reduce drug related deaths across England and Wales, which hit their highest levels on record in 2021 according to ONS data.

Visit www.likewisesheffield.org.uk to learn more about the services Likewise provide and contact them for more information.

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Drugs contaminated with synthetic opioids: an updated collective message

Jack Keery

To anyone that uses drugs or cares for someone who does:

The drugs available in the UK seem to be changing lately. As services that provide support to people who use drugs and their loved ones, we have come together to issue a shared statement about some of the new drugs being used by the people we support and the risks they present.

Today is International Overdose Awareness Day, and in honour of all those who have been affected by overdose and in light of new information about synthetic opioids, we have updated our joint statement.

In the last two years, new opioids called “nitazenes” have arrived in the UK. They have recently been found mixed with heroin, with some being sold as illicit oxycodone pills and illicit ‘Xanax’ powders.

Nitazenes can be at least as strong as fentanyl and can be hundreds of times more potent than heroin. They are known to have led to accidental overdoses and the deaths of people across the UK in recent weeks.

If you use drugs, this information could help you and your friends to stay safer. If you know people who use drugs but do not use drugs yourself, the following information could help you to keep people alive.

Because of how dangerous these contaminated drugs are, the way you use drugs may need to change to avoid overdose. We have updated the following information, in line with harm reduction guidance issued by EuroNPUD, with additional information provided to aid those living in the UK:

1. Carry naloxone

  • Always carry naloxone. It’s available from all drug services.
  • If you live in Scotland: Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs offers a ‘click & deliver’ service.
  • If you live in Wales: Barod offers a ‘click & deliver’ service.
  • Nitazenes have been found in non-opioid drugs (like illicit Xanax), so even if you or your friends don’t normally use opioids,  it is still worth carrying naloxone.
  • Carry extra naloxone – in some cases, it has taken multiple doses of naloxone to reverse  overdoses involving heroin contaminated with synthetic opioids. Carry two yellow cases of intramuscular naloxone or two double packs of nasal naloxone. More advice is provided in point six (overdose response).

2. Don’t use alone

  • Try not to use drugs alone, and don’t let your friends use them alone either. Watch out for signs of overdose in others. The signs include difficulty breathing, blue colouring to the lips or fingertips, unresponsiveness, and limp limbs.
  • If you are going to use drugs, reach out to someone to let them know your plans and ask them to check up on you.
  • If you are using with others, avoid all using at the same time. More advice on this is provided in point five (stagger your dose).

If you don’t have people to stay nearby or check on you, consider using the BuddyUp app.

3. Check your drugs

  • Submit an anonymous sample of the substance to the WEDINOS Project for analysis. It will take a few days to get the results back, so go easy in the meantime.
  • Fentanyl strips do not test for nitazene.

4. Start low, go slow

  • Start with a lower dose and wait for the peak effects to pass.
  • If you’re using illicit pills, consider splitting them and starting with a fraction of the pill. If you can’t split the pill, you might want to consider using the crush, dab, wait method. This was designed for MDMA users and is more applicable to powder or crystal form drugs, but could also keep you safer when using other pills.

5. Stagger your dose

  • Make sure you are with a friend and one or both of you have naloxone.
  • If one person takes their hit first, wait until the peak effects have worn off before the other person uses. This makes it much more likely that there is someone who can respond in the case of an overdose.

6. Overdose response

  • If someone overdoses, administer naloxone and call an ambulance.
  • Recent overdoses have required multiple doses of naloxone. You do not need to give doses at a faster rate, but you might need more than one naloxone kit. Continue to administer naloxone as you were trained to, and do not give multiple doses at once.
  • Aim to restore breathing rather than consciousness. As well as synthetic opioids, drugs may be contaminated with other substances such as benzos or xylazine, which can lead to heavy sedation.
  • Overdose symptoms returning is more likely with nitazenes, so make sure you observe someone for longer than you would with a normal heroin overdose.
  • Naloxone only works on opioids. It’s best to use naloxone if you think someone has overdosed, even if you’re not sure what they’ve taken –  naloxone will not harm them.
  • While mixing different drugs is common, it is more likely to cause an overdose. Try to use one drug at a time. If you are going to mix drugs, use less of each.

7. Seek substitute medication and other prescribing support

  • If you use opioids every day, your local drug service can support you and prescribe alternatives such as methadone or buprenorphine. Abstinence does not need to be your goal; these alternatives can help to keep you much safer.
  • “The best way to reduce your chances of an overdose is to be on an opioid substitution treatment. Even if you are still taking drugs, if you are on methadone or buprenorphine, you are less likely to overdose, and you are less likely to die… If you are on a script, you are less likely to overdose and if you do, you are less likely to die” (Streve Brinksman, Cranstoun).
    • The above quote is from a recent Cranstoun Tiktok. You can hear the rest of the message on TikTok.
  • If you are already in treatment for opioid dependence and you don’t want to use on top, speak to your prescriber and make sure you’re getting the right dose for you.
    • Check out the SODA tool to help you determine if your dose is right.
  • If you do still want to use on top, that is okay too, but be aware that there are higher risks now of overdosing.
  • If you don’t use opioids but are worried about your drug use and you take illicit benzos every day, you can also talk to your treatment provider about how they can support you.

Signed:

  • Jon Findlay (National Harm Reduction Lead, Humankind)
  • Deb Hussey (National Safer Lives Lead – Turning Point)
  • Peter Furlong (National Harm Reduction Lead – Change Grow Live)
  • Chris Rintoul (Innovation & Harm Reduction Lead – Cranstoun)
  • Kate Blazey (Interim Medical Director – With You)
  • Dr. Judith Yates (International Doctors for Healthier Drug Policies: IDHDP)
  • Shayla S. Schlossenberg (Drugs Service Coordinator, Release)
  • Mat Southwell (Project Executive, EuroNPUD)
  • Roz Gittins (Director of Care Standards and Practice Improvement, Via)
  • Rob Barker (Campaigns and Communications Lead, Barod)
  • Justina Murray (CEO, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs)
  • Prof Adam Winstock (Consultant psychiatrist & addiction medicine specialist)

News

Drugs contaminated with synthetic opioids: a collective message

Jack Keery

A red graphic with the text "Overdose alert". An orange warning sign appears to the right of the text and the logo the Humankind logo appears below.

Important information for anyone that uses drugs.

The drugs available in the UK seem to be changing lately. As people services, we have come together to make a shared statement/clarification on some of the new drugs the people we support use, and the risks they present.

New opioids have arrived in the UK in the last two years, called “nitazenes”. They have recently been found mixed with heroin, with some being sold as illicit oxycodone pills or even Xanax powders.

Nitazenes can be at least as strong as fentanyl and can be hundreds of times more potent than heroin. They are known to have led to accidental overdoses and deaths of people in several areas across the UK in the last few weeks.

The vast majority of people taking drugs do not expect to die from an overdose. If you use drugs, this information will help you and your friends to stay alive.

Considering new information around contaminated drugs, the way you use drugs might need to change to avoid overdose:

  • Mixing different drugs is common, but it is more likely to cause an overdose. Try to use one at a time. If you are going to mix drugs, use less of each.
  • Try not to use drugs alone, and don’t let your mates use them alone either. Watch out for signs of overdose in your friends. The signs include difficulty breathing, blue colouring to the lips or fingertips, unresponsiveness, and limp limbs.
  • Always carry naloxone. It’s available from all treatment providers. If someone overdoses, give naloxone to them and call an ambulance.
  • Naloxone only works on opioids. However, if you suspect someone has overdosed give them naloxone even if you’re not sure they have taken an opioid. It will not harm your friend.
  • If you use opioids every day your local drug treatment service can support you and prescribe alternatives such as methadone and buprenorphine. Even if abstinence isn’t your goal these alternatives can help keep you safe. You will know what you are taking and your risk of overdose may be reduced.
  • If you are already in treatment for opioid dependence and you don’t want to use on top, speak to your worker and make sure you’re getting the right dose.
  • Use WEDINOS Sample Testing to test your drugs if you can spare a bit, but it takes time to get the results back so go easy in the meantime.

Signed

Humankind – Jon Findlay, National Harm Reduction Lead

Change Grow Live – Peter Furlong, National Harm Reduction Lead

Cranstoun – Chris Rintoul, Innovation and Harm Reduction Lead

Turning Point – Deb Hussey, National Safer Lives Lead

Drug related death analyst, Birmingham – Dr Judith Yates, Data Collector & Analyst

You can download a printable poster containing this important information.

News

Humankind set to offer drug and alcohol support and treatment to people in Sheffield

Jasmine Rocks

Picture of Sheffield Town Hall at dusk.

We are thrilled to announce that we will soon be offering drug and alcohol support and treatment to people in Sheffield, having been funded by Sheffield City Council.

The new contract starts on 1 August 2023 and will be run in partnership with Project 6, a local voluntary sector drug and alcohol charity who have been working in the area since 1978. 

Greg Fell, Director of Public Health, said: “Sheffield City Council welcomes Humankind as our new provider of substance use support services in the city. It is important people in Sheffield can access the support they need to live happy and healthy lives. Humankind’s services will prove invaluable to individuals and communities in Sheffield.” 

Ted Haughey, Executive Director of Operations at Humankind, said: “We are delighted to expand our services in South Yorkshire and partner with Project 6. We have many years’ experience providing integrated drug and alcohol treatment services across the country and are looking forward to bringing this expertise to the people in Sheffield.   

“We’ll be working closely with commissioners and other partners across the city as well as listening to the people we will be supporting to continually develop and improve the service for the communities across Sheffield.” 

Vicki Beere, CEO of Project 6, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Humankind to deliver services in Sheffield. We have many years’ experience of supporting people in Sheffield to make and sustain positive changes to their alcohol and drug use. We look forward to being able to develop and expand this work, to afford more people in Sheffield the support to access recovery services and improve their wellbeing.” 

The new service will include a range of support including harm reduction, care coordination, clinical and therapeutic interventions. As part of our aftercare support we will continue to work with people who become abstinent to develop and reach their goals.

The service will also provide support for family members. 

News

Providing a ‘wound aware’ service

Jack Keery

A person dressing the wound of another person with a bandage

Humankind is committed to improving people’s health and wellbeing, and the coming years will see a greater focus on both health outcomes and the reduction of health inequalities.

We know the health of some people who use drugs can be poor, and for those who inject drugs wounds are a particular risk. It is therefore our ambition is to become a wound aware service provider.

By providing wound aware services, people we support across the country will be able to access assessment, evidence based interventions and improved specialist pathways. This will allow us to reduce and prevent infections, identify worsening injecting sites and advocate and support people to access specialist pathways.

There are three stages to becoming a wound aware service. The first will see the launch of our Wound Aware training programme, which is required for all of our front line staff. This will provide foundation knowledge and awareness of common infections, wounds and harm reduction advice to reduce the risk of infections and wounds.

The second stage will see evaluation of specialist pathways within our services. This will provide a baseline of specialist service access while improving our partnerships and relationships with specialists providers.

Finally, we will develop a specific wound aware logo which will enable the people we support to recognise our specialist wound aware services. The aim of this is to encourage open conversations about wounds, so that staff can then discuss health and wound-care, ultimately reducing stigma, increasing awareness and improving people’s health.

News

Launch of Drink Drug Hub website provides reliable harm reduction information for anyone in North Yorkshire

Author

A graphic with a black background and white text which reads "Drink Drug Hub"

Not every person who drinks or uses drugs develops harmful patterns of use – but drink and drugs can cause lots of people lots of problems.

By providing reliable and accurate information, we can help adults and young people make more informed decisions, understand how to access support, and potentially reduce the harms they face. We can help family and friends feel less alone. We can help professionals feel more confident to talk about drugs and alcohol and provide effective support.

Drink Drug Hub has been developed by North Yorkshire Horizons, the county’s community drug and alcohol service.

The website, which can be found at www.drinkdrughub.co.uk, presents an extensive but easy to use database of articles, videos and fact sheets. Resources cover everything from alcohol and prescription medications to illicit drugs like cocaine and heroin.

Anyone in North Yorkshire can also attend free training or awareness events, and practitioners can discover learning opportunities provided by other agencies across our region. Sessions will cover topics like an introduction to drugs/alcohol and administering naloxone, a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdoses.

Prior to launching the site, people who use alcohol and other drugs, and experts in the field of treatment, recovery and harm reduction gave feedback on the content, effectiveness and usability of the website to North Yorkshire Horizons.

The Office for National Statistics recently revealed that 2021 was the worst year on record for both drug related deaths and alcohol related deaths in England and Wales. Equipping people with knowledge about substances is an important way to reduce the harms that drugs and alcohol can cause.

Louise Wallace, Director of Public Health at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“Drink Drug Hub is a really important resource for our communities. It will help to equip people across North Yorkshire with reliable information and will also allow our communities to engage with awareness sessions delivered by experts, and practitioners working in our services to book onto and attend training to develop their own knowledge and skills.”

Lee Wilson, Regional Director at Humankind, the national charity which runs North Yorkshire Horizons, said:

“We believe that people deserve to have access to accurate and up-to-date information about the drugs they take, and that’s why our team have worked so hard to create Drink Drug Hub. We’re excited to launch this new resource, which we know can improve health outcomes in North Yorkshire, and potentially save lives.”

Matt Bee, Specialist Training Facilitator at North Yorkshire Horizons and Drink Drug Hub project lead, said:

“We know that people are often overwhelmed by the amount of information available online about alcohol and other drugs, and it can be difficult to know what sources to trust. Our goal is to make it easy for people to access reliable information verified by experts, so that they can be empowered to make the best decisions for their own health and wellbeing, and that of their loved ones.”

If you need free and confidential information, advice or support with your own drug or alcohol use in North Yorkshire, you can also contact:

News

British Army extends funding for Project Reset

Author

A woman leads a presentation on the harms of alcohol and gambling with army personnel

Project Reset, a programme of education, intervention, and treatment for alcohol use and gambling aimed at soldiers in North Yorkshire – run as a collaboration between Humankind, North Yorkshire Horizons, and the military – has been funded by the British Army for an additional twelve months. 

The success of the project has led to an almost doubling of investment for 2023, which will significantly enhance the support provided to serving military personnel. 

Project Reset has also been recognised by the Defence Medical Services, specifically the Surgeon General, as a model for best practice. It now sits as a pilot under the Chief of Defence Peoples space for the consideration of a possible rollout across Defence services in the UK. 

While our Mil-SMART recovery programme will continue as a weekly support group available within the Catterick Garrison Community Hub and as a virtual offer, Project Reset focuses on harm reduction and prevention. 

It uses presentations to whole units around the dangers and consequences of alcohol use, gambling, and other addictive behaviours, while also educating people how these link to mental health, self-harm, and suicide. 

Working in partnership with Departments of Community Mental Health, Unit Welfare Officers, and military Medical Centres, the project has played a pivotal role in retaining soldiers who would otherwise have been discharged. 

Nicky Booth, Area Manager at North Yorkshire Horizons, said: 

“I’m delighted that Humankind has secured a full year of increased funding for Project Reset and Mil-SMART delivery. 

“This extension is an excellent opportunity to grow the current service and our collaboration with the armed forces further. It is vital that we continue to support our local military personnel by addressing the risks of alcohol use, gambling, and other addictive behaviours.” 

Ruth Hasney, Project Reset Facilitator and Recovery Coordinator at North Yorkshire Horizons, said: 

“I am so happy that the Project Reset contract has been extended and the funding increased. 

“This recognition demonstrates that we are aligned with the British Army in how much we value the support offered. We have worked so hard to achieve the outcomes the project has generated to date, and I am so excited to see how Project Reset can evolve in 2023.”

The increase in funding will allow Project Reset to provide:

  • A case worker for one full day per week of military-specific support to Unit Welfare Officers, allowing for additional one-to-one appointments.
  • A continuation of current provision with one case worker providing support to Catterick Garrison, including one Mil-SMART group per week provided face-to-face at the Catterick Garrison Community Hub.
  • Referrals to Humankind’s North Yorkshire Horizons recovery service where additional support is required for harmful drinking.
  • Attendance at health fairs promoting the project and raising awareness of the risks of harmful drinking and other addictive behaviours.
  • The delivery of presentations at welfare conferences and to units as required.
  • A Walk and talk support group in the Catterick area.
  • A Facebook peer support page, offering weekly updates, tips, and advice on coping skills and positive messages.

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