In June, Welcome and its SIAS partners run road shows supported by the national organisation ADFAM, which supports the families of people with problematic drug or alcohol use.
The aim of these events is to promote SIAS’ family and friends support service. Staff and users of the service are on hand to chat and give advice and information.
The events are a great success, with many members of the public being reached and a numbher of referrals in to the service as a result.
More than 100 people turn out for the launch of the new alcohol service at Solihull library in May. The Lord Mayor opens proceedings and speakers includ Stephen Mundi from the Department of Health, Paul Mctague area manager from Aquarius, and Alex Coppello Professor of Addiction Research School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham.
Agencies in attendance include the police, magistrates, social workers, teachers, probation officers and GPs.
Welcome’s first street collection day is organised by Board member Henry Jerwood in April and takes place along Shirley High Street.
Over £100 is raised and used to buy plants for Welcome’s working garden and the hanging baskets outside Middlewood House.
Welcome is involved in an interesting survey, on site at Middlewood House, as part of its partnership work with the Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.
On 19th September, a pilot scheme inviting real-time feedback from service users, their families and friends was launched. A kiosk and special hand-held electronic devices have been installed in the SIAS reception area to allow them to answer a quick, easy, survey. Their views are fed through almost immediately on to a large screen for all visitors to see.
SIAS was the only recovery service chosen for the pilot. If it is a success, it will be rolled out across the whole of the Trust enabling Welcome to continue to use the system.
The Lord Mayor of Solihull formally opens the new SIAS reception at Middlewood House, to be shared by clients visiting Welcome or The Bridge Clinic.
Welcome, in partnership with SIAS (Solihull Intergrated Addiction Service), is awarded £178K to develop a Recovery Centre, where those leaving treatment can still access low level advice and information, group support, volunteer and employment opportunities.
This exciting new project will be in development throughout 2011.
Welcome and colleagues from SIAS partner organisations take part in the first ‘Solihull Together’ sponsored walk. Organised by SUSTAIN, the walk allows local charities in Solihull to fundraise for themselves and others.
The Welcome team decided to raise the money for Helping Hands, a smaller charity which often gives food parcels to Welcome clients.
Welcome, in partnership with SIAS (Solihull Integrated Addiction Service), is granted 150K to build a new reception area for clients at Middlewood House.
The National Treatment Agency had advertised for expressions of interest in Capital Grants for improvements and adaptations to buildings. Welcome, sharing a building with an NHS partner – the Bridge, submitted a successful application.
The Solihull User Group marks International Remembrance Day in July 2009 by planting an apple tree in the garden at Welcome. International Remembrance Day exists to remember all those who have died as a result of drugs.
They do not have to have been drug users, but may have lived in countries where there is a death penalty for the possession of drugs. In Solihull, users were encouraged to remember people by tying a note into the branches of the tree.
Working in partnership with Solihull Community Housing, Welcome spends £2K from the Birmingham Airport Fund on improving a garden for elderly residents of a tower block situated next to its premises in Chelmsley Wood.