Leading drug and alcohol charity WDP is delighted to announce that it has been successful in its bid to deliver a new specialist smoking cessation service in the London Borough of Redbridge.

The new service will commence from 1 April 2023 and will be operational for an initial three-year term. It comes as an addition to WDP’s well-established adult and young people’s substance misuse and sexual health services in the borough.

The service will provide confidential, evidence-based behavioural and pharmacological advice and support to those who live, work or study in Redbridge, aged 12 and above, to help them to stop smoking or using other forms of tobacco.

The new service brings with it WDP’s commitment to co-production and working in close partnership with the areas we serve. It will also have a keen focus on accessibility and supporting priority populations including those who use non-traditional and smokeless forms of tobacco, pregnant women, young people, and people who are engaged with mental health services. This will be supported by regular consultation with service users and community and faith groups.

With a main hub in Ilford, the service will be embedded in the community, delivering a wide range of satellites and outreach activities in locations such as GP surgeries, COPD clinics, inpatient wards, mental health services, pharmacies, and other community sites. The team will be able to provide digital and remote contact, and WDP’s valued community pharmacy partners will also be able to provide smoking cessation interventions, supported by WDP’s Chief Pharmacist. This will ensure the service has a wide variety of accessibility options to reduce barriers to accessing support.

Gladys Xavier, Director of Public Health for the London Borough of Redbridge said: “Smoking remains the leading causes of preventable illness, premature death and health inequalities. The new service will deliver a flexible and accessible service working closely with our NHS partners and will proactively outreach with our underserved communities to support residents to quit smoking and tobacco.”

Craig Middleton, Executive Director of Services at WDP said: “This is an exciting new development for WDP and we are delighted to be delivering a specialist smoking cessation service to the residents of Redbridge. At WDP we are passionate about supporting people to improve their health and wellbeing and this is a perfect opportunity for us to support more people to do just that.”

Join our team

Visit our recruitment portal to view details of the roles available in our Redbridge smoking cessation team: https://wdp.ciphr-irecruit.com/Applicants/vacancy

Leading drug and alcohol charity WDP has teamed up with activewear brand FitbyCords to offer its Capital Card users bright and comfortable gym wear socks.

The activewear socks are available at WDP Harrow and service users can obtain them directly from the ‘grab and go’ cabinets using their Capital Card points at any time the service is open.

Users of the WDP Capital Card earn points by engaging in drug and alcohol treatment and can then usually spend their points on positive activities and products in their local community at our Spend Partners, such as gyms or eateries.

FitbyCords offered to supply some of their specialist gym wear socks to the WDP Harrow hub after visiting the service, as they wanted to help individuals who were struggling.

Cordelia Esson, owner of FitbyCords, said: “I attended the Recovery Month event at the Harrow service, it was such an eye-opening experience. The people who attended spoke about their experiences in life and how the WDP has helped them on the road to recovery. I am so glad I got the opportunity to see and hear what goes on, it also gives me an insight into what the organisation does.”

Max Griffiths, Capital Card Manager, said: “At the Capital Card we are very conscious of the cost of living crisis and with the winter season upon us, this exciting partnership means Harrow service users can use their Capital Card points to purchase a gift for themselves or a loved one, and keep warm!”.

For more information about the Capital Card®, visit capitalcardrewards.com

For more information about FitbyCords visit their Instagram instagram.com/fitbycords and Twitter twitter.com/cordsfifi.

We are delighted to announce WDP has been successful in its bid to deliver an Individual and Placement (IPS) service in Islington for residents with substance misuse needs. This is in addition to WDP’s existing West London Alliance contract in nine West London boroughs.

The IPS Into Work service will provide high-quality employment support to residents of Islington, who have substance misuse needs, to support them into paid and sustainable employment.

Since early 2019, WDP’s award-winning IPS Into Work service has focused on achieving sustainable employment to help reduce stigma, enrich lives, boost local economies, develop additional talents, and create workforces that reflect the diversity of their local communities.

The IPS Into Work service in Islington will have a dedicated and focused team that will build people’s skills through training and work experience in an inclusive and supportive environment. Working in collaboration with commissioners and services in the borough, the service will comprise of three distinct IPS components: Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG); Individual Placement Support (IPS) and Active Volunteering.

Lisa Luhman, Commissioning Manager for Public Health said: “Islington are excited about the development of the new employment support service, and believe the service will achieve great outcomes for some of our most vulnerable residents”.

Paul Anders, IPS Programme Manager for Office for Health Improvement and Disparities said: “We’ve already seen the difference that finding work via IPS is making to people around the country. We’re delighted that WDP is able to expand its provision in London – this will create great new opportunities for Islington residents.”

Craig Middleton, WDP’s Executive Director of Services said “We are excited that we will be able to offer our amazing IPS service to individuals in Islington. Working with a range of partners and stakeholders, this will allow people to realise their ambitions and aspirations to gain volunteering, training and paid employment based on their preferences.”

Join our team

Visit our recruitment portal to view details of the roles available in our IPS Into Work team: wdp.ciphr-irecruit.com/Applicants/vacancy/ips.

To find out more about our IPS Into Work service in Islington, visit our employment support page.

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of one of our Board of Trustees, Graham Boal KC, who died peacefully surrounded by his close family on 30 December.

Graham was an extremely passionate supporter of WDP and our work. He was a hardworking and committed member of our Board, sharing his valuable insight and expertise for almost a decade.

Graham had been the Chairman of the Seventy4 Foundation, a specialist addiction counselling service, and joined the WDP Board when the two organisations merged in 2013. His involvement with the Seventy4 Foundation came about because of his own personal recovery story and lived experience.

Graham was also a barrister for 30 years before serving with distinction as a judge at the Old Bailey until his retirement in 2005.

Among his many accomplishments was the publication of his memoir in 2021 called ‘A Drink at the Bar’, which he dedicated to WDP. He wrote engagingly and with compassion about his life, his work and his struggles with alcohol dependency and depression.

WDP’s Chair Yasmin Batliwala said: “Graham was our colleague but also a dear friend. Despite his recent poor health, he remained firmly and fully committed to our cause, working diligently and passionately behind the scenes as part of our Board to support WDP. He was a remarkable man and will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with Graham’s family and friends at this very sad time.”

We are delighted to announce that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated WDP Greenwich as ‘Good’ across the board.

The CQC inspectors highlighted that the team “treated clients with compassion and kindness” and that they “understood the individual needs of clients and supported [them] to understand and manage their care and treatment.”

The report shares that staff “developed holistic, recovery-orientated care plans informed by a comprehensive assessment” and that they “provided a range of treatments suitable to the needs of service users and in line with national guidance around best practice.”

The inspectors also identified areas of outstanding practice in the service, namely:

• WDP’s Capital Card scheme, where service users can earn points by attending appointments and engaging with treatment, and then spend their points on positive activities in their local community.
• In-house motivational and confidence-building courses available to service users, such as NOVA and Next Steps, as well as a peer mentoring programme and development opportunities for volunteers.

The report includes some excellent feedback from service users. The inspectors reported that service users described staff as “approachable, non-judgemental and supportive”.

One individual told the inspectors that their recovery, and continued attendance at the service, was due to the kindness and support they received from staff.

Service users also said that the group programme was supportive, “family-like” and run by clinicians who were knowledgeable. They also felt encouraged to ask questions and learn about their treatment, and that they were listened to whenever they had concerns.

Councillor Denise Scott-McDonald, Cabinet Member for Health and Adults’ Social Care, said: “We are pleased to note that WDP Greenwich received a good rating from CQC. Since the launch in 2020, during the first week of lockdown, WDP has tackled many challenges and increased demand. Despite this, the team has remained committed to delivering a specialist holistic treatment and recovery service to residents in Royal Greenwich.”

“The strong rating reflects the professionalism, dedication, commitment, and care the team at WDP Greenwich delivers. The service manager and staff team can be proud of the recognition of the hard work this inspection provides, and our residents can be reassured that they have a good service that can respond effectively to their needs.”

Tom Sackville, Executive Director of Services at WDP commented: “We are extremely proud of this excellent CQC report acknowledging the high quality of our service in Greenwich. It is a credit to the team for their hard work and commitment to our service users, as it recognises the importance we place on providing a service which is tailored to the needs of each person who comes to us for support. Our WDP Greenwich service is hugely important for the local community and we look forward to continuing to support our service users’ recovery and identify even more ways to reach out to those in need. Working closely with our commissioners is a key feature of our success – it is a partnership we value immensely and hope to continue to build on.”

To access the full CQC inspection report, please click here.

If you live in Greenwich and would like to talk to someone about your own or someone else’s drug or alcohol use, please contact us on 0300 303 4552 or greenwich@wdp.org.uk.

You can also visit our service website page for more information and to register for help online: www.wdp.org.uk/greenwich.

WDP’s service users will receive SIM cards with free mobile data (and texts and calls) via the Good Things Foundation’s National Databank.

This new initiative will support service users to access online groups and support and manage day-to-day tasks. The pilot has started in our Brent, Cheshire West and Chester, Greenwich and Merton services with the intention of rolling out to other services in the future.

Anna Whitton, CEO of WDP, said: “We’ve been working with service users to explore access to and the benefits of online resources and support. Very quickly it became clear that one of the most significant barriers to access was the cost of data. It’s great to have been able to find a solution to this specific issue, which responds directly to the needs of our service users and will also respond to digital inclusion issues more broadly.”

Annabel Hudson, BRIC Coordinator at WDP Merton said: “We have many service users who are experiencing data poverty and are unable to afford data. This can have a significant impact on their recovery especially considering many groups and mutual aid in the community are delivered through online meetings and groups. Those who do not have access to Wi-Fi and are unable to afford data for their phone are excluded from accessing a variety digital support which would greatly benefit their recovery from substance use as well as other aspects of their lives, such as the ability to look for and apply for jobs. Having access to data will open many doors and provide many more opportunities for disadvantaged service users.”

WDP has also received a Digital Inclusion Capability Grant from the Good Things Foundation to purchase laptops and Chromebooks to set up ‘IT cafes’ for service users in two WDP services.

Support provided through the IT cafes will include:

• Access to the internet and support to set up an email account
• Facilitating access to essential online forms (e.g. GP registration/appointment) and documents
• Basic IT skills training e.g. using Microsoft Word and access to online resources
• Facilitating access to free certified online courses
• Bills and debt management resources and advice
• Employability resources, job searching and application form support

To find out more about the Good Things Foundation’s National Databank, visit https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org/databank/

WDP and Box Up Crime are offering young people in Redbridge who have experience of drug or alcohol issues the opportunity to get motivated and active in a fun and relaxed space.

Box Up Crime will enable young people who use the Capital Card® in Redbridge to use enjoy free gym passes and have a discounted membership in exchange for Capital Card points.

The Capital Card is an award-winning reward card scheme which empowers WDP’s service users. It rewards people for their engagement at their local service, through a simple earn-spend points system. They can earn points by attending appointments and then spend their points on positive activities in their local community, such as the cinema or gym.

Max Griffiths, Capital Card Manager at WDP, said: “We are delighted that Box Up Crime is joining the Capital Card Spend Partner family. The young people we work with in Redbridge will really benefit from these inspirational sessions and access to their leisure facilities, to help improve both their physical and mental health and wellbeing.”

Rob Harris, Operational Manager at Box Up Crime said: ‘This is an amazing opportunity for us at Box Up Crime to be involved in the great work of supporting people on the road to recovery. We strongly believe that working in partnership we can have a greater influence in the work we all do, so it is an honour for us to be part of the Capital Card family. We look forward to sharing many successful outcomes in the future.

If you live in Redbridge and would like to talk to someone about your own or someone else’s drug or alcohol use, please contact R3 (adult service) on 0300 303 4612 or info.R3@wdp.org.uk or Fusion (young people service) on 020 8708 7800 or info.fusion@wdp.org.uk for free and confidential support.

As part of its Recovery Month celebrations, WDP West Berkshire hosted an open day for its service users and community partners at its newly refurbished recovery hub.

WDP West Berkshire launched in April 2022 and provides a range of drug and alcohol treatment and support for adults and young people.

The event at our site on Station Road in Newbury was attended by Mayor of Newbury, Gary Norman, Councillor Steve Masters, and April Peberdy from West Berkshire Council (see pictured) amongst others.

Guests at the open day were able to take part in taster sessions and visit a ‘marketplace’ to showcase different elements of the service, such as: alcohol awareness, BBV testing, needle exchange, employment support, and information and training around Naloxone.

There was also a stall about WDP’s Capital Card scheme, which enables service users to earn points by engaging in treatment and then spend points on activities in their local community.

Tom Sackville, WDP’s Executive Director of Services said: “We were delighted to host this open day and provide an opportunity for our community partners to see the excellent treatment that is available and meet our team. Our refurbished service hub is a really positive welcoming environment for our staff, volunteers and most importantly for service users on their recovery journey.”

Our New Beginnings service in Cheshire West and Chester recently held a celebration event for its peer mentor graduates at the Storyhouse in Chester. Storyhouse is an award-winning library, theatre, cinema, and cultural centre, and is one of our Capital Card® spend partners.

The event was attended by the service’s peer mentors who graduated this summer, their friends and families, as well as those who will be starting the peer mentoring programme in September.

Other graduation attendees included: members of the New Beginnings team, WDP senior managers, staff from forfutures housing support service, Councillor Val Armstrong Cabinet Member – Adult Social Care and Public Health, and Director of Public Health Ian Ashworth and other local authority employees.

WDP Area Director, Dave Targett gave a speech about the value of peer mentoring within WDP services and our vision for the development of an independent peer-led service in Cheshire West and Chester.

Jane Murphy, Service Manager, New Beginnings said: “It was a very inspirational morning for everyone who attended. We were delighted to have our Peer Mentoring course delivered in Cheshire West and Chester and we are looking forward to our peer mentors joining us on their placements and supporting with the delivery of the next peer mentoring course. We also look forward to more graduation events in the coming years as our recovery community of peer mentors expands.”

Ian Ashworth, Director of Public Health, Cheshire West and Chester said: “I was honoured to have the opportunity to attend the WDP Peer Mentor Graduation Ceremony event at The Storyhouse, Chester on 23rd August. The peer mentoring programme is growing from strength to strength due to the commitment of the peer graduates, and it is amazing to see how their personal experience of addiction and recovery, with empathy and without judgement, provides an invaluable offer to those seeking treatment and support on their recovery journey.”

Some of the feedback from our amazing peer mentor graduates included:

• “I very much enjoyed the peer mentor course, not only because it was interesting and led to my gaining a qualification, but also because it offered support and structure at a very vulnerable time in my life. The lessons were always friendly and practical, and the friendships I developed with my fellow mentors were of huge benefit to my mental health.”
• It’s a life-changing experience that has helped me gain more insight into this line of work. I would highly recommend this course.”

About New Beginnings

WDP’s New Beginnings service delivers high-quality personalised care and treatment for adults and young people from sites in Chester, Ellesmere Port and Northwich. If you live in Cheshire West and Chester and would like to talk to someone about your or someone else’s drug or alcohol use, please contact us on 0300 303 4548 or cwac@wdp.org.uk. You can also visit our service page for more information and to register for support online.

We are delighted that our Pay and Reward project has been highly commended in the ‘Best reward or recognition initiative’ category at this year’s CIPD People Management Awards.

These prestigious awards showcase and celebrate the outstanding achievements and contributions made by people engagement initiatives and the teams across the UK who are making a real difference in their workplace.

Anna Whitton, CEO of WDP commented: “We are extremely pleased to have been highly commended in this hotly contested category! Our team really wanted to develop a meaningful, valuable and flexible suite of benefits and rewards for our people and to have our hard work recognised in this way makes us very proud.”

Read more about WDP’s range of benefits – including health and wellbeing initiatives, financial perks and support, and recognition and development opportunities – in our Benefits Package area.