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Individual winners 2008

The Tackling Drugs Changing Lives Awards recognise individuals and teams who have really made a difference in their local community. The overall winners receive £10,000 for their project or organisation.

Winner

Daniel Smyth - Brent, London

Daniel's focus is on engaging young males aged between 13 and 19 who misuse a variety of substances and who lives are falling into a downward spiral as a result of their misuse. 

Through group sessions at the Brent Centre for Young People, as well as one-to-one support meetings, Daniel finds ways of connecting and motivating their group to turn their lives around. Daniel's hard work and commitment have yielded positive results: a majority of the youths he works with have reduced their substance use and are also no longer selling drugs in schools or in the community. And a significant number are now attending school regularly and independently playing an active role in progressing their education.

 

Regional Winners

Linda Knight - Barnsley, Yorkshire and the Humber

In 2007 Linda set up Storm - a drug service user group.

Tasked with helping drug and alcohol clients recover from their misuse following a relapse, Linda recognised that they need to interact in a safe, non-judgemental and substance-free environment to move on.

Storm helps clients overcome their misuse by focusing on their social isolation and re-engaging them into their community. Linda's work has identified and addressed a critical gap between short-term recovery and a lasting return to an improved, substance-free life. Linda's help and support has not only been continuous, but has also fallen outside her normal role in the Barnsley Alcohol and Drug Advisory Service.

 

John Berridge - Mansfield, East Midlands

As Chair of the Nottinghamshire County Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT), John has successfully developed an agreement for managing prolific and other offenders across both Nottinghamshire and Nottingham city areas.  He also played a major role in integrating the DAAT through primary care trusts, local authorities and community safety partnerships.

John's active and innovative approach is evident in all the work he does. He places particular emphasis on ensuring that a wide range of stakeholders are engaged with and consulted when developing agreements or establishing new ways of working.

Not only has John's work improved substance misuse service delivery, it has also made an impact on the wider community safety agenda.

 

Philomena Lawrence - Harlow, East of England

Having received three independent nominations for this award, there is no doubt that Philomena is making a big difference as a manager in the Alcohol and Drugs Advisory Service.

In the three years that she has held this role, Philomena has successfully developed and implemented an advice service which helps substance users to recover from their addiction. The Government Office for the East of England says it's clear that 'Philomena has gone out of her way to develop this service'.

 

George Wake - Newcastle, North East

As a retired police officer, George has now worked as a drugs worker at Tyneside Cyrenians - a charity for the homeless - for almost two years.

George plays a vital role in helping to pick up individuals who slip through the net, those who disengage from - or drop out of - treatment, and those who enter homelessness services and are resistant to treatment.

With perseverance and patience, he has managed to reach some of the most difficult and socially excluded individuals in Newcastle. Many individuals who were previously regarded as hopeless have now finished their treatment and had their lives turned around thanks to George's work.

 

Liz Wallace - Stockport, North West

Having been a substance misuser for 20 years, Liz brings personal experience of her own rehabilitation as well as innovation and determination to her role as chair of the Stockport Service User Forum. 

Working with the Stockport Drug Action Team, Liz continually strives to improve services on offer.  Her relentless attitude means that she always finds new ways of meeting her users' needs - such as the local women's group she helped to develop in Stockport.

Matthew Phoenix from the Stockport Substance Misuse Service says Liz is 'tireless in her endeavours to support service users, and helps them to find their own way towards recovery. Liz is well respected and an inspiring symbol of what can be achieved with self-belief, determination and the right support'.

 

David Stork - Gloucester, South West

As part of his work at Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust, David has been personally responsible developing ways of engaging with and empowering drug users. 

He has organised consultation events that bring together drug service providers and commissioners, giving drug users a forum where they can get information as well as put questions to providers and commissioners.

David's great strategic and collaboration skills have been central to his achievements, but part of his success lies in his gutsy and innovative approach. These skills came to good use when he developed the 'Up a Mountain' course, where he teaches a group of service users team-building and survival skills - culminating in a climbing expedition up Cader Idris in Snowdonia. 

 

Sue Hall - Hereford, West Midlands

Working entirely on her own, Sue has created and maintained the Family Drug Support Group in Hereford for 12 years. In the last year her work has involved serving around 200 clients, made up of families and carers of substance misusers from a diverse rural community.

Although supported by Herefordshire Community Safety and Drugs Partnership and the National Treatment Agency, Sue runs the group without any formal mainstream organisation support. Instead, she regularly attends both local and regional forums to promote the needs of carers, and encourages other agencies to take account of these needs. 

 

Alison Ede - Brighton, South East

In 2000, Alison founded the Professional Advice Targeting Communities and families Helping Eliminate Drug misuse (PATCHED) service in Brighton. Since then it has grown from a small self-help group to a city-wide project offering support and services for families, friends and carers of substance misusers.

Between July 2007 and June 2008, PATCHED's achievements reached a record high. In one year, the service provided 484 one-to-one sessions, assisted 31 support groups, answered almost 2,000 helpline calls, hosted 83 drop-in mornings, delivered 46 training courses and organised eight sessions at Lewes Prison.

 

John Frith - Swansea, Wales

John's involvement in the Swansea Drug Project, working with substance misusers, has been truly inspirational.

By being able to engage with his clients, he has helped many of them to overcome boundaries, gain trust in services and get support for the first time.

Because of the strong links John has developed with other agencies, the group will now be able to provide a service that not only tackles substance misuse but also combats other problems such as housing, debt, health and offending.