Rehab Charity Branches Out


The Suffolk based charity, Focus12, is expanding the services it offers by opening a new therapy centre, which will spe- cialise in non- addiction related counselling serv- ices.


The new centre is based at 88 St Johns Street, Bury St Edmunds, and is called "The Annexe". It is open full time and has several qualified coun- sellors based there offering one to one therapy to clients of all ages and backgrounds, dealing with issues ranging from anxiety, stress and depression to eating disorders and relationship breakdowns. The aim of the new service is to be able to offer counselling with a flexible pricing structure, which will therefore be accessible to all those who need it.


Chip Somers, Focus12 CEO explains: "We have noticed over the past few


years that the demand for general counselling has increased significant- ly, and we therefore believe the time is right to branch out and expand what we offer. We have recently been seeing as many as 25 people a week for counselling for general issues such as stress and anxiety at our existing centre, and demand seems to be steadily growing. This new centre will mean clients can benefit from the Focus12 expertise on a one to one basis, in individual sessions. Our focus at the Risbygate Street centre will still very much be helping people overcome addiction through total abstinence."


The new centre is entirely grant fund- ed for the first two years. Anyone interested in making an appointment with a therapist at The Annexe should contact Focus12 on 01284 701702 in the first instance.


Focus12


Phillips has been named as East of England Chairman, while Lillie Marnie is the Secretary for the region, and both will be responsible for travelling to other rehabilitation centres within the Eastern region to recruit members, with an aim of establishing a solid network of Concordat Graduate mem- bers in the East of England.


The Concordat was originally formed in December 2010 by 38 residential rehabilitation centres from right across the UK, to try and raise aware- ness of and campaign against the growing funding problems faced by treatment centres, following the clo- sure of 31 rehabilitation centres over the past 24 months. The Concordat Graduates are a group of people who have successfully been through resi- dential abstinence based rehabilita- tion treatment, and will act as advo- cates for The Concordat.


Success Stories Take The Lead At Concordat Graduates


Two ex-clients of Bury St Edmunds based drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre, Focus12, have been appointed to the Concordat Graduates. Oliver


Oliver Phillips commented: "I am nervous yet excited about taking on this role! Addiction, in many forms, took me to some very dark places. After 10 years in active addiction I ended up with nothing to my name and on a large methadone prescrip- tion. I was in a desperate state and feeling utterly hopeless. After reach- ing a point in my life where the pain of staying the same became greater than the pain of change, in January 2010 I asked for help at Focus 12. After another 7 months of fighting against what was suggested to me and trying to stop using on my own, I began treatment in July 2010.


"During treatment I regained some hope and learned a new way to live. I remain abstinent and continue to work a recovery program. I was accepted into a supported housing scheme and from that I now have my own place. I work, I am building up relationships with my family, I have good friends and great support - life is a lot better than I ever dreamed possible! "Attending residential rehabilitation was a major factor in turning my life around and I truly believe I could not have done it without being given this opportunity. I was one of the last few people in the Suffolk area to be given funding to attend Focus 12, before the change in the way funding was distributed in this area. For this I am extremely grateful. I feel very pas- sionate about the cause of the Concordat Graduates and am very honoured to be appointed as the East of England chair for a cause I truly believe in."


Chip Somers, Chief Executive of Focus12 added: "The work Oli and Lillie are doing in supporting the Concordat Graduates is vital. We know that residential based absti- nence treatment works - we see peo- ple every day who prove that theory. Like so many other similar treatment centres, we are facing huge funding


difficulties, and the aim of the Concordat is to continue putting pres- sure on the government to ensure that residential treatment centres receive a fairer slice of the funding that is available."


80's


Extravaganza Raises Nearly £500 For Multiple Sclerosis


A recent charity event held at CurveMotion, in Bury St Edmunds, raised £484.98 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.


The "80's extravaganza" was held at CurveMotion on Saturday 21st January, and those attending were encouraged to wear 80's style fancy dress and come along and skate and dance to cheesy tunes from the era. There was a raffle, various games, including name the Gruffalo and guess the number of flying saucer sweets in a jar, as well as an 80's lyrics quiz. There were also themed meals on sale including a Pacman Panini, an A-Team burger and a Ghostbusters Sundae. In addition, CurveMotion donated a percentage of the entrance fees from all those who turned up in fancy dress to the chari- ty. CurveMotion decided to host and organise the event after being approached by Allison Humphreys, a 39 year old mother of two from Moreton Hall, one of their regular skaters, who herself suffers from MS.


Sarah Stamp, spokeswoman for CurveMotion said: "The whole day was great fun, we were really busy, and as always people were happy to support such a great cause. Some of the fancy dress costumes, particularly in the evening, were outstanding! Fundraisers like these are as much about raising awareness for the cause as they are about raising funds and having fun, and we are really delight- ed to have been able to help such an important local charity."


Allison Humphreys added: "I am so pleased at the way the whole day went - not only did CurveMotion arrange a really fun event, but all the staff came in fancy dress and really got into the spirit of things, and the money raised can help the MS Society continue with important research."


Further information on CurveMotion can be found on the website at www.curvemotion.com


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