Recovery Voices

14/04/2026

When Grassroots Runs Ahead: What Co***ne Anonymous (CA) in Scotland Tells Us About Drug Policy: Dr. David McCartney
The question is not whether mutual aid should be integrated more effectively into statutory care pathways – it is about how quickly we can do so. History shows that civil society will continue to lead. The task for policymakers is to catch up, evaluate, and scale what works.

The story of the growth of Co***ne Anonymous in Scotland illustrates a recurring historical pattern...

13/04/2026

My latest post on our Recovery Voices website describes one of the two books I have been writing, 'Transforming Pain Into Power: The Story of North Wales Recovery Communities.'

The main part of my writing has been a book entitled 'Transforming Pain Into Power: The Story of North Wales Recovery Communities'. The project has been quite a journey, not only involving the writing but also multiple interviews over Zoom with various people at NWRC...

10/04/2026

48-Year Recovery Birthday: Michael Scott
‘… Recovering people need empathy and TLC (Tender Loving Care). Rapport with the patient is key to helping them recover.'

‘… Recovering people need empathy and TLC (Tender Loving Care). Rapport with the patient is key to helping them recover. In my opinion, good rapport should be a given working in this field—it is what I experienced...

31/12/2025

My Recovery Voices blog post relating to Marcus Fair MBE, Founder of the recovery community Eternal Media that is based just outside Wrexham in North Wales. Marcus received his MBE in this year's New Year's Honours.

It was and still is an incredibly surreal moment in a very strange life that I’m experiencing. My life seems to have gone from one extreme to another and I’m so very grateful for the few people who never gave up on me when I was a homeless addict, they saved my life and...

03/11/2025

Recovery Walk NI 2025: ARC Fitness
Here are links to five separate short films of the Recovery Walk in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The first focuses on the speech given by Gary Rutherford, Founder of ARC Fitness, in Ebrington Square before we set off. There follows three films of the actual walk through the city, and across the Peace Bridge. The third involves a beautiful choir followed by a rock band and Gary's thanks. Well done ARC for organising the event.

Here are links to five separate short films, the first focusing on the speech given by Gary Rutherford in Ebrington Square before we set off. There follows three films of the actual walk through the city, which ended up back at our start point after we crossed the Peace Bridge.

11/10/2025

The Recovery Walk NI in Derry/Londonderry that Linda and I attended along with good friends at ARC Fitness. Such an enjoyable occasion. Four films, one of Gary Rutherford's (Founder of ARC) introduction, and three of the walk totalling just under 11 minutes.

Gary Rutherford, Founder of ARC Fitness (Addiction Recovery Coaching), a recovery community based in Derry/Londonderry, opens the Recovery Walk Northern Irel...

22/09/2025

My Visit and Talks in North Wales
I had a wonderful time in North Wales visiting old friends at North Wales Recovery Communities (NWRC) in Bangor and Eternal Media in Wrexham, and met lots of new friends, some of whom I have been communicating with via Zoom.

I had a wonderful time in North Wales visiting old friends at North Wales Recovery Communities (NWRC) in Bangor and Eternal Media in Wrexham, and met lots of new friends, some of whom I have been communicating with via Zoom. I would take this opportunity to thank James...

04/09/2025

Taking a Break
I will be giving a talk at 19.00-21.00 on 12 September in Penrhyn Hall, the Council building in Bangor. Most of the talk will be different to the one I gave at Bwyd Da Bangor last year. After my stay in North Wales (which is work and play), it's holiday time and the Recovery Walk in Derry/Londonderry.

I will be giving a talk at 19.00-21.00 on 12 September in Penrhyn Hall, the Council building in Bangor. Most of the talk will be different to the one I gave at Bwyd Da Bangor last year. You can see the film made by Eternal Media of that talk here. The second part of that talk focused on...

27/08/2025

Mount Snowden (Yr Wyddfa): Saffron Roberts
James Deakin came to sit with me when we got back to Penrhyn House. At the time, I didn’t really think that I could do all that was required to find long-term recovery. James congratulated me on my Snowden achievement, and explained that I didn’t need to focus on my whole recovery journey. He said: ‘All you’ve got to do, is do it in stages....'

James Deakin came to sit with me when we got back to Penrhyn House. At the time, I didn’t really think that I could do all that was required to find long-term recovery. James congratulated me on my Snowden achievement, and explained that I didn’t need to focus on my whole...

20/08/2025

‘What Happened? What Mental Health is Really About’: Bill Saunders
The compelling evidence is that all psychopharmacology changes your brain chemistry, even though there’s absolutely no evidence that your brain chemistry is in any way aberrant. Thus, you will get nasty side effects, develop tolerance, and if you cease using ‘psych meds,’ you will have nasty withdrawals (oops, sorry, ‘discontinuation syndrome.’) https://www.recoveryvoices.info/what-happened-what-mental-health-is-really-about-bill-saunders/

19/08/2025

Recovery Storytelling and Advocacy: Meghann Perry
Be authentic. The best stories are short, honest, intimate, humble, and full of heart. They don’t need embellishment, scintillating details, or unbelievable feats. They don’t need self-promotion or manipulation to make the protagonist heroic. The truth of recovery stands powerfully enough on its own. https://www.recoveryvoices.info/recovery-storytelling-and-advocacy-meghann-perry/

18/08/2025

Recovery in the Context of Community
‘Addiction and recovery are more than something that happens inside someone. Each involves deep human needs in interaction with a social environment. For addicts, addiction meets a multiplicity of needs and the culture of addiction provides a valued cocoon where these needs can be, and historically have been, met.'

‘Addiction and recovery are more than something that happens inside someone. Each involves deep human needs in interaction with a social environment. For addicts, addiction meets a multiplicity of needs and the culture of addiction provides a valued cocoon where these needs can be, and historicall...