A CHARITY has received an award of almost £50,000 to help support people recovering from drug and alcohol abuse.

The grant, from Lloyds Banks Foundation, will allow Free the Way in Durham to deliver a new 12-step abstinence and recovery programme, and fund the salary of a recovery specialist to help support users looking to break free from the cycle of addiction.

The organisation supports some of the county’s most vulnerable people, providing accommodation to help get those struggling with addiction off the streets and set them free from substance misuse.

By providing users with a supportive living environment they can begin the rehabilitation process in a safe space, leaving them better equipped to recover from their illness and ready to re-enter society and build a positive future.

Mark Steel, a recovery leader at Free the Way, said: “We at Free the Way are delighted to have been selected for this grant and to be working in partnership with Lloyds Bank Foundation.

“Having the ability to employ a 12-step recovery specialist, will make a huge difference to our service users in their recovery from substance abuse.

“The programme is a well-respected route to recovery and by running workshops that are 12 steps orientated, our service users are introduced to a level of support that will stretch beyond their time with us.”

Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales works with small charities helping people overcome complex social issues such as mental health, drug and alcohol addiction, homelessness as well as domestic violence and sexual abuse.

Free the Way is one of four organisations in the North-East and Cumbria supported in the the latest funding round, in which £263,813 was distributed across the region.

Paul Streets, chief executive of Lloyds Bank Foundation, said: “We feel that the best tool against substance misuse is visible recovery.

“As our latest research has shown, there is a quiet crisis facing local authorities.

“Ever-tighter budgets mean vulnerable people have to rely on the support of local charities like Free the Way.

“They’re not just a ‘nice to have’ their work is making a vital difference, day in, day out to people’s lives.

“We’re proud to partner with the Free the Way organisation in Durham as part of Lloyds Banking Group’s plan to Help Britain Prosper, supporting the costs of their work, strengthening them, and helping raise their voice among the policy-makers and decision-makers their future depends on.”