29 July 2014
Recovery Festival

A packed Woodland Church in Clifton was home to the second
Recovery Festival, a true celebration of recovery in action.
Service users and family members shared their inspirational
stories in front of a rapt audience, who also enjoyed music and
poetry and the chance to meet others and learn about services.
People shared their personal viewpoints on recovery by hanging a
note on the 'positive thoughts' tree and the gorgeous weather
provided the ideal opportunity to mingle and relax with a fabulous
complimentary lunch and browse the fresh produce stall from the
Teve recovery growing project.
The Cocaine Anonymous pantomime was another highlight of the
free event with a unique take on Jack and the Beanstalk!
AWP recovery worker Kim Hewlett was delighted with how the day
went. "It's been nine months in the making and the inter-agency
committee have been so focused and never lost their energy. All the
speakers and entertainers have been so fantastic. To see people
come through the service and then to see them up there on the stage
telling their story is just overwhelming and it gives me goosebumps
to see what a huge success the day has been!"
Kim, Viv Norton, Vicki Bakehouse and Penny Stanbury
from AWP, along with colleagues from Bristol Drugs Project,
Addiction Recovery Agency (ARA), Developing Health &
Independence (DHI) and Crisis Centre Ministries, organised the
festival with the support of Acu-Detox Plus UK and Chandos. This
year's festival was also supported by City Sightseeing Bristol who
provided a free shuttle bus.