Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Ben Adams visited a drug and alcohol misuse centre in Cannock to see work underway as a result of funding from the Commissioner’s Locality Deal Fund (LDF).
The BAC O’Connor Centre receives £6,000 from the fund via the Cannock Community Safety Partnership. The funding has contributed to a Substance Misuse Support Worker working closely with those in the early stages of recovery from addiction to help them reintegrate back into the community.
BAC O’Connor also has a detoxification and rehabilitation unit in Burton town centre, with medical staff on site 24 hours a day, as well as recovery houses in Burton, Stoke-on-Trent and Cannock. An aftercare service is available for all graduates of the programme and many are employed or volunteer at Langan’s Tea Rooms in Burton, one of the BAC O’Connor social enterprises.
Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams said: “I have supported and promoted BAC O’Connor for a number of years, in council roles, as Commissioner and in my role as senior responsible officer for the county-wide Drug and Alcohol Partnership.
“It was great to visit the centre to see the brilliant work underway. This type of provision is not available everywhere in England and Wales, so I am delighted that it is available across Staffordshire.
“Rehabilitation helps people to tackle addiction and rebuild their lives, leading to reductions in offending which in turn benefits the wider community. That’s why this year, my Office has also contributed over £600,000 of funding to drug treatment programmes led by Public Health teams at Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council.”
Councillor Jo Elson, Cannock Chase Council’s Portfolio Leader for Community Wellbeing, said “I’m delighted that we are able to fund a project which helps to reintegrate people back into the community who have previously struggled with alcohol or substance misuse. It is inspiring to hear the positive effects the scheme has had, and the value of the project is felt throughout the entire community of Cannock Chase.”
Staffordshire Commissioner Ben Adams and his Deputy Helen Fisher also visited BAC O’Connor’s Burton centre, where they met Chief Executive Officer Kendra Gray and some of the service users.
Kendra said: “We were delighted to welcome Ben and Helen to BAC O’Connor Centre in Burton and give them the opportunity to meet clients and see first-hand the work that we do here to support people who have substance misuse issues within Staffordshire.
“The BAC’s evidence-based programme and skilled staff does not just treat the symptoms but deals with the past, present and future to support people to turn their lives around, supporting both the individuals and their families, breaking the cycle of addiction, making communities safer and reuniting families.
“Our Social Enterprise, Langan’s Tea Rooms, is an important part of our post-rehab provision. It offers those who have undergone abstinence-based rehabilitation for drug and alcohol addiction at BAC a safe and supportive environment to volunteer, gain skills and qualifications and paid work placements enabling a smooth transition back into employment, reintegrating back into society and contributing towards reducing the stigma surrounding drug and alcohol misuse.”
Find out more about the funding given to communities through the Commissioner’s Locality Deal Fund on our website here: Community Funding – Staffordshire Commissioner (staffordshire-pfcc.gov.uk)
To watch a video filmed with the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Kendra at the BAC O’Connor centre in Burton, visit: https://fb.watch/pMGZ-x_bwU/
