West Berkshire’s drug and alcohol service packs a punch with local community event

 

On 30 January, drug and alcohol support charity Via welcomed local partners and community leaders to an open day at its Newbury hub. The event celebrated the service’s impact in West Berkshire and highlighted the vital drug and alcohol support available to local people. 

The event was opened by Matt Pearce, Director of Public Health for West Berkshire Council, who emphasised the power of partnership in supporting local communities. Anna Whitton, CEO of Via, followed with a speech on the importance and impact of accessible, high-quality services in supporting people on their recovery journey. 

Dani Cawsey, Service Manager for Via West Berkshire, provided an insightful overview of the service, explaining how it helps people through structured treatment, a wide range of support options, and dedicated programmes such as the family and friends group.  

A particularly moving presentation came from Andreas Kavalierou, Via’s Reintegration Coordinator, who introduced the GLOVES programme – a unique 6-week initiative that draws parallels between the 12 rounds of boxing and the 12 steps of recovery. He spoke powerfully about how the programme gives people determination, focus, and a sense of purpose beyond their usual treatment. By enhancing responsibility, resilience, and fitness, GLOVES helps develop a winning mentality for sustained recovery. Attendees were also treated to an impressive boxing demonstration by a GLOVES graduate, showcasing the programme’s impact in action. 

Jason Kew, Public Health Strategist, spoke passionately about the local Combatting Drugs Partnership, highlighting the importance of collaboration between organisations to tackle stigma, promote harm reduction, and enhance education and prevention efforts. 

The day concluded with a delicious lunch and networking session, where attendees connected and explored future collaboration opportunities. 

Eleanor Lyden-Vieten, Area Director at Via said: “I’m really proud of the whole Via team and the impact they have every day in the lives of the people we support. The success of this event is a testament to their hard work, enthusiasm and passion.  We were happy to see so many local partners in attendance and look forward to continuing to build even stronger working relationships with them.” 

Craig Middleton, Executive Director of Services at Via said: It was great to see so many partners from West Berkshire at the event. The strong interest in the service’s work was clear from all the people who attended.  The team shared some wonderful examples of the support and help they offer to people who use our service and positive impact it has had. 

Matt Pearce, Director of Public Health, West Berkshire Council said: “We’re proud to partner with Via. The work they do is a game changer. They become an integral part of people’s journeys with alcohol dependency and drug use and help them to take a better path.”