A HOUSING project in South Bank, Teesside, which aims to help recovering alcoholics is due to open its doors in the next few weeks.

Cromwell House has been built at a cost of £650,000 on the site of a former school and will provide a secure living environment for eight former addicts.

The majority of its funding has come from Homes England and Public Health England, along with a contribution from Redcar and Cleveland Council.

It is based on the ‘Oxford House’ model which began in the US in the 1970s and aims to provide a community based, mutual-help community for high-risk individuals who are encouraged to obtain jobs, pay bills and become responsible citizens.

A similar project has already been running successfully in recent years in Ormesby.

The purpose-built new facility will be owned and managed by Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency (RCVDA) with outreach support for the tenants provided by the Living Sober community interest company.

Mike Milen, chief executive of RCVDA, said it would be a completely clean environment with residents encouraged to support themselves by helping each other.

He said: “It’s quite a harsh regime, if they drink or use drugs they have to leave immediately.

“They can’t just sit around in bedrooms, they either have to work, train or volunteer and if they can’t find activities we will find them for them.

“They have to attend daily recovery meetings and keep the properties in tip top condition.

“It isn’t for everybody though and it isn’t a magic pill.”

Residents will be referred to the project and pay rent or a flat-rate housing benefit payment to RCVDA which will use the income to subsidise the services provided by Living Sober.

Mr Milen said the Ormesby scheme had proven to be successful over many years, but admitted there had been initial concern from existing South Bank residents living nearby.

He said: “They didn’t really know what it was.

“But we arranged bus trips up to Ormesby and they met the guys themselves who had been changed significantly by the process and they were the ones who reassured everybody.

“If people stay for more than six weeks they will stay for 13 or 14 months and at that point there is an 80 per cent chance they will remain abstinent for the rest of their lives, which is a big transformation for people who may have spent 30 years in drink and bouncing around the system.

“Not only is this cheaper than regular supported housing, it is also many more times successful.

“We were keen for it to be a model that doesn’t really rely on public funds going forward.

“We don’t tell people to move out, but they are encouraged to move on as we have limited space and most want to do so as their recovery gets stronger and they want a bit more freedom.”

Mr Milen said it was hoped to expand Cromwell House up to 12 beds, while work was also due to begin on a similar project in Brotton, east Cleveland, this time aimed at women-only.

He added: “We want to do maybe six of these in Redcar and Cleveland and then try and encourage and support other people to open in Middlesbrough, Stockton – we think it works best when it is embedded in a community and local people are engaged and hands on.”

A council spokesman said: “This is an innovative project for Redcar and Cleveland and is one that has the potential to deliver major societal cost savings across a range of public services whilst also providing residents with an opportunity to rebuild their lives and reconnect with their family, friends and the wider community.”