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Foundation Stone
To set the scene for this service and its subsequent delivery it is critical that the underpinning philosophy is understood. The following contribution by Lawrie Duffy Hope North East Director of the organisation provides an insight into this philosophy and explains the rationale of the business. ‘We are all very aware of the negative aspects of addiction. The media keeps us topped up with our daily dose of negative news and images, attention grabbing headlines designed to shock and appall, which fuel the popular public perception that all addicts are violent, desperate criminals who lie, cheat and steal their way through life without thinking of the consequences to themselves, their families or society at large. Combine that with the assumptions that people make about addiction “They can’t really want to stop or they would.” “You can’t help them they are all a waste of time.” We can understand how people who have no experience of addiction find it easy to judge and condemn, they have no way of relating so find it difficult to empathise or show compassion. The public view of addiction and the addict is out of balance. Hope North East and the BDF is here to address that balance. We are the positive face of addiction, Recovery! For every negative story in the media of addiction and the plight of the addict there is a positive one of people who are facing up to their problems with courage and honesty. With the help and support of services, self help groups and service user lead groups like the BDF we are starting to see the improvement. Addiction is Hell, a daily mental battle with negative thoughts and feelings. The insanity of feeling compelled to do something you know is the source of your own destruction is at times impossible to bear. Hopefully we come to that place within ourselves were we realise, truly, that it cannot go on. It is in this place that honesty is reached and recovery begins. We are a group of such people, who have arrived at that place of honesty found hope and a way out. So many addicts who have recovered want to help others and are in an excellent position to do so. Our unique life experiences the very fact that we have been through exactly what the addict looking for recovery is going through, makes us truly able to relate and share at a very deep level. This is invaluable. We want to show the public that not all addicts are the same. Recovery is a journey back to ourselves and those of us who are further along that road are ready, willing and able to help those just starting out. We are starting to believe in ourselves, have respect for ourselves and to finally love ourselves and want to share what we have with others. We are doing good work in the community and raising money for charities. We are slowly but surely changing the public perception that although there is a negative side to addiction, there is also a very positive one which is growing stronger and stronger every day.’ Lawrie Duffy Hope North East January 26th 2008	Hope North East 112-114 Marton Road Middlesbrough TS1 2DY Office Telephone 01642 351976