Outreach

Simon Rawana, our outreach manager, works with 'difficult to access' clients, for example street drinkers; rough sleepers; ethnic minorities and others who are not ready to accept a structured recovery programme. He also visits wards in Whipps Cross Hospital, Sheltered Housing, Rowan House; he works at 'drop in centres' throughout Waltham Forest and Redbridge, visits Community Groups and Doctors Surgeries as well as giving talks. This service has proved so successful that we have recruited another worker (funded by the Community Fund) to assist Simon, with a specific brief to work with Asian women and promote the work we do with local organisations and GP's.

Weekend Workshops

Both branches of the service hold weekend workshops. These are well attended by current and ex clients and topics covered by the family service include 'breaking the cycles', 'family systems'. Topics covered in the service for the clients with drink problems include 'shame' and 'twelve step meditation'. There have been six recent weekend workshops with plans for more in the future.

We also run meditation workshops around the twelve step programme. Some of the clients have requested a residential weekend away and this innovative idea is at a consultation stage.