Save the Date
We are having our first UK SMART Recovery conference on Wednesday 14th September in Stoke on Trent. We have some excellent speakers lined up, as well as updates from the National Coordinators and some peers who will tell of their own recovery journey with SMART.
We are just finalising the arrangements and full information including booking forms will be available on the website from Tuesday 1st March. Places will be limited so book early to avoid disappointment.
We heard a rumour that some canny Scottish folk want to organise a coach to keep the travel costs down; what a good idea!
Peer Board Member
UK SMART Recovery is delighted to announce that Shiv Sharma has been appointed as the first Peer Trustee. Shiv first encountered SMART Recovery meetings in his home town of Hounslow. He went on to become a Peer Meeting Facilitator and a volunteer in his local drug and alcohol service, which led to his employment as an Engagement and Recovery Worker.
In his spare time Shiv helps out at the Outside Edge Theatre Company, which works with and for people with substance misuse issues.
Shiv says “SMART Recovery has gone beyond freedom from just my addictive behaviours. It introduced me to positive psychology and the ability to manage my feelings and behaviours in a constructive way. I have a purpose in life now as well as better relationships with everyone around me”
We had a very large response to the Peer Board member advertisement and are grateful to everyone who was willing to serve UK SMART Recovery in this way.
Social Media
The only ‘official’ Facebook page for UK SMART Recovery is called … wait for it… UK SMART Recovery. Although we get a number of complaints about the ‘friends of SMART Recovery’ page it is not actually anything to do with the organisation. So if you are a Facebooker, as millions of people are, take a look at the page and post something positive to boost your fellow SMARTies.
Good News
Overall Drug and Alcohol services have been subject to a 20% funding cut. However UK SMART Recovery has not lost a single partner so far.
In fact since October a further 31 sites including 3 in the Channel Islands have signed up with us.
Behind the Scenes
In December UK SMART Recovery moved into the new office base in Stoke on Trent. It is a central location, situated between Manchester to the north and Birmingham to the south. We can be found at Dresden House, The Strand, Stoke on Trent, ST3 2PN. The phone number remains the same 01463 729548.
We are aware that information about SMART meetings displayed on the website and the interactive map is not always up to date. Dan Murphy, a stalwart of SMART Recovery and long standing volunteer with the training team, has spent a lot of time doing an audit of this information to ensure it is as accurate as possible and Therese Davall, Office Manager, is working on an easier to use version so we can all find this vital information when we need to. Thanks Dan and Therese