Collaborations

Addiction Connection Leeds (ACL)

UPA chairs a small network of initiatives, all of whom have a Christian ethos and are working in the field of addiction called Addiction Connection Leeds (ACL). The network seeks to bring initiatives together so that project managers can share information and ideas with each other. The network also seeks to help these Christian based projects engage with the wider city, including the new NHS and addiction structures in Leeds.

St Georges Crypt: St. Georges Crypt provide emergency accommodation for men and women who are homeless or rough sleeping. They also run:

-Regent Terrace, which provides supported accommodation for 10 men who are dependent on alcohol.

-Growing Rooms, which is a drug and alcohol recovery programme, based around the 12 step recovery model. The programme operates from various locations around Leeds and is supported by new houses that participants can live in. Clients attend a programme 3 days a week and volunteer within the Crypt organisation.

http://www.stgeorgescrypt.org.uk/charity/

Lighthouse West Yorkshire is a fresh expression of church and a registered Leeds – based charity which reaches out to those who are battered and bruised by the storms of life. Many of the people helped have multiple and complex needs including; homelessness, addiction issues, criminal backgrounds, poverty and crisis in mental health.

http://www.lighthousewestyorkshire.org.uk/

ISAAC (International Substance Abuse and Addition Coalition) is an international network of Christians responding to the escalating problem of substance misuse and addiction round the world. Members of the network can be individuals or organisations.

ISAAC aim to connect, equip and encourage Christians in the UK through regular regional meetings, including one for Yorkshire and the North East, and a UK conference.

http://www.isaac-international.org/en/

The Joanna Project works with vulnerable, hard to reach, women who are trapped by life controlling addictions and who are often involved in street prostitution with all the exploitation and danger that involves.

Spacious Places is a registered incorporated Christian charity [Charity No 1130175 / Company No 618984] providing a therapeutic day-care programme for those addicted to alcohol or drugs, based on the 12-step approach of Alcoholics Anonymous and abstinence, emphasising small group work and individual key working.

http://www.spaciousplaces.org.uk/

Living Recovery Ltd. is a trading subsidiary of ISAAC UK. They provide training and support to Christians working in addiction. They provide courses, including basic addiction awareness, working with addictive behavior, volunteering, starting a support group for the families of addicts and running a Structured Day Recovery Programme.

http://www.living-recovery.org/

Tweets by @AddictionACL

Guests at ACL meeting

Mary Halsey speaking at the 2018 ISAAC UK Conference

In September 2013 and 2015 we held evenings which allowed all projects to briefly share what it is they do to help tackle addiction.

Guests at Addiction event.

Guests at Addiction event.

Graham Fell talks about Spacious Places at ACL event in 2013. Spacious runs a 12 step Structured Day Care Programme for people who are recovering from addiction. http://www.spaciousplaces.org.uk/

John Swales speaks about Lighthouse at ACL event in 2015. Lighthouse is an expression of church for homeless and vulnerable people, many of whom struggle with addiction. http://www.lighthousewestyorkshire.org.uk/

Dave Paterson chairs ACL gathering in 2015.

John Lowton speaks on Living Recovery which is part of Life for the World Trust. They offer accredited training for Christians wanting to become more effective in tackling addiction.
http://www.living-recovery.org/

Matthew Nice speaks at ACL meeting in 2013 speaks about St George’s Crypt dry hostel Faith Lodge and Regent Terrace (wet hostel), as well as the Crypt’s training and engagement programme which all help to assist people struggling with addiction. http://www.stgeorgescrypt.org.uk/charity/the-crypt/faith-lodge/item/104-faith-lodge-a-safe-place-to-recover.html

Unity in Poverty Action (UPA) has chaired the Leeds Food Aid Network (FAN) since its formation in 2014. Our work includes the following:

• Collecting data from a broad range of providers regarding food aid use
• Coordinating quarterly Food Aid Network (FAN) gatherings
• Simulating effective signposting so that people can access appropriate food aid provision
• Developing on-location support at different food providers so people can receive key advice when they are in a time of crisis
• Encouraging the uptake of Healthy Start Vouchers to support vulnerable children and families
• Supporting and valuing a broad range of different food aid provision including foodbanks, community cafes / food drop ins, and food pantries
• Raising awareness of Healthy Holiday provision
• Being part of city, regional, and national initiatives including FoodWise Leeds, the Leeds Food Strategy, West Yorkshire Food Poverty Network, Feeding Britain, and the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN)

Data collection

To view media coverage please see the links below.

http://www.leedsfoodaidnetwork.co.uk/ (Facebook Group – Twitter @foodaidnetwork)

Pictures from FAN.

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UPA works with a number of different projects to help facilitate better coordination in assisting Refugees, Asylum seekers and Migrants.

UPA work with projects like Leeds City of Sanctuary, Leeds Asylum Seeker Support Network (LASSN), West Yorkshire Destitute Asylum Network (WYDAN) to help facilitate better coordination. Activities include:

• Developing a food aid strategy for Migrants in east Leeds which enables individuals and families to access food on a repeated basis.
• Channeling volunteers to initiatives so they can support refugees and asylum Seekers. For example City of Sanctuary advertise voluntary posts on their website. UPA links Church Church Community Groups with Abigail Housing in order to see Christians overseeing a house and giving support to refugees who live there.
• WYDAN is seeking to provide emergency accommodation for destitute asylum seekers through working with churches in Leeds.

Make Shift Refugee Camp in Horsforth, 2017

Event at end of the Make Shift Refugee Camp in Horsforth, 2017

Mary Halsey speaking at WYDAN event

Below are images from the Horsforth Refugee Camp which took place over three days in October 2017 and The World on Our Doorstep event which was held at St Margret’s Church at the end of the same week. The events helped to raise awareness of the experiences of refugees in the community of Horsforth and helped to engage over four hundred people from the town and surrounding areas.

Picture from September 2015 where many gathered at west Yorkshire Playhouse to discuss how Leeds could respond to the Refugee Crisis in Europe.

Below is a link to a map of the locations of beds for asylum seekers in need:

Number of beds available for destitute asylum seekers, West Yorkshire.