What our community have to say…
Testimonials for Essex Recovery Foundation
“In April 2023, I attended the Community Rehabilitation Service at Wickford (SHARP) and it was here that I attended a walk with Essex Recovery Foundation. The staff immediately stood out to me. Their passion, friendship & understanding was inspirational to me.
When I graduated from SHARP, I continued my recovery journey by attending more activities with Essex Recovery Foundation: fortnightly walks, workshops, ultra challenges, gong baths and meditation groups.
I am proud to say that I had some part in setting up the Harlow Recovery Space with Essex Recovery Foundation. This has not only helped me in my recovery, but helped me personally.
I am slowly starting to like myself again. I am more confident, much happier and my mental health has improved. This is largely down to not just the staff and volunteers at Essex Recovery Foundation, but the recovery community that is building in Essex. I have met some fantastic, amazing people. No one judges me, I am heard and treated with respect. That is the difference… no stigma.
Today, I'm privileged to say I am part of Community Research team. It is my hope that I can play my part in growing the recovery community, to ask the right questions to the right people, and to listen and learn from them, so together we can not only signpost people to the right services, but the VERY BEST services”
Steve from West Essex
"I came across Essex Recovery Foundation on the last day of my peer mentor training. Straight away I was captivated by the unique approach that was putting recovery in the hands of those people in recovery.
An opportunity to do a training course on building confidence and harnessing new skills arose and I was delighted to have had the opportunity to participate but, more importantly, to connect with like-minded people who were on the same pathway as myself.
We have a recovery space on a Friday which I have witnessed grow: a space in which you can relax, feel no stigma, and not feel ashamed.
Essex Recovery Foundation are making recovery visible and when something is visible it becomes attainable and achievable and I truly believe this will inspire others who are struggling to join us”
Andy
“I heard about Essex Recovery Foundation in early 2023. I liked their vision of creating a community for people in recovery and making Essex the best county for innovative services for addiction.
I am in recovery myself and have seen where improvements can be made to make people's lives better. Essex Recovery Foundation are working hard to do this and are using lived-experience peer-expertise to shape recovery in Essex.
I've been lucky enough to have been involved in some of the working groups with Essex Recovery Foundation, sharing my views and opinions on areas within recovery. As someone in recovery, it's important to me to have my views and experiences listened to, acknowledged and to hopefully influence change in the area of addiction and recovery in Essex, at least.
It's positive to know that the many awful years of my active addiction and relapses are now tools to help shape the future of services in Essex and change society’s perception on addiction.
Essex Recovery Foundation have helped grow my confidence, provided training, drive my personal goals and maintain my sobriety. I feel incredibly fortunate to be involved with them”
Barry from Thurrock
“I've lost people I love deeply to addiction, they're still alive, but walking ghosts.
I wrote a poem about my sister and sent it into to Essex Recovery Foundation last year and have remained connected with them ever since. As a person who has lived with loved ones in addiction, I've attended their Walk and Talks, ladies meet-ups and I was invited to host poetry/spoken word workshops at their recovery spaces.
Essex Recovery Foundation’s vision, volunteers and staff are so proactive and positive in their approach to keeping people in recovery connected and encouraged to continue on their journeys.
Meeting people in recovery, in visible, accessible spaces and venues with an attitude of openness, has meant so much to me personally.
Every time I spend with Essex Recovery Foundation gives me hope: hope that people needing addiction support outside of hospitals, GPs, rehabs, specialised services and AA meetings in Essex will now have a chance to feel empowered in their recovery and not ashamed or excluded anymore.
Living in an area where addiction is normalised and engrained into everyday life, I'd like to think if my sister had met Essex Recovery Foundation when she wanted to stop her addiction, she may have found the right support community to continue with her recovery.
So many families across the UK are living with the daily consequences of addiction, Essex Recovery Foundation is an essential.
