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This week we welcome our new volunteers and trainees, who are beginning their five week training into key areas of our services.
Our 18 new Project Volunteers will be working alongside our Early Engagement and Intervention Team in our Health and Harm Reduction Centre and Needle Exchange, providing free and confidential advice, information and support to adults using alcohol or drug problematically.
The four Engagement and Community Detox Link Trainees, are joining us as part of a 12 month traineeship, which will see them working across our services, engaging people into treatment and supporting people to detox and engage with their communities. During their year’s traineeship, they will also be completing a recognised qualification, supported by a local training provider.
The five week training, led by Sophie our Volunteer & Trainee Manager, will be providing our new staff with a wealth of new skills and awareness, exploring topics such as: drug and alcohol awareness, harm reduction, communications skills and safer injecting.
We’ll be catching up with our new volunteers and trainees to find out what they’ve been learning and about their new roles at BDP.
A post-punk rock band are donating 50% of their profits from their upcoming Bristol gig to support the continued work of BDP.
Playing in Bristol for the first time, the London based band The Fallen Women are an all-female The Fall karaoke band, who will be playing this Saturday evening at the Exchange in Old Market.
Following the death of The Fall’s legendary frontman, Mark E. Smith, earlier this year, promoters of The Fallen Women have generously decided to help raise money for our continued work to support people with problematic alcohol and drug use.
Mark E Smith had a long battle with addiction throughout his life, and therefore we have decided to donate 50% of profits to Bristol Drugs Project who are helping others in a similar situation.
The Fallen Women will be playing a repertoire of 30 songs and will be inviting everyone “from seasoned performers to those who’ve never been on stage before or even sung a note”. To find out more, visit their Facebook event.
The Fallen Women Saturday 14th April Exchange at 7:30pm
Thanks to The Fallen Women and their promoters for their generosity and support to our continued work to support some of the most marginalised and vulnerable people in Bristol.
Yesterday we help our first event developing a support network that can help veterans who are experiencing problematic alcohol or drug use.
We are working in partnership with organisations supporting veterans, including The Royal British Legion, to analyse the needs of veterans in Bristol who use drugs and alcohol.
What’s next?
Following on from yesterday’s event, we will now be looking to set up two focus groups to find out about veterans’ experiences – one with veterans who have been through treatment and another with veterans who haven’t, hoping to find out what barriers have been preventing them from receiving support.
We will also be beginning to visit examples of best practice in supporting veterans across the UK.
How can you help?
We’re looking for more professionals and people with lived experiences to continue to join our project. If you would like to find out how you can help or find out about future event please email emma.wells@bdp.org.uk.
UPDATE: The temporary problem with our office phone lines has now been fixed.
Our phone provider is currently experiencing problems which may mean you are unable to get through to us on any of our landline numbers.
If you cannot get through to us on our central number 0117 987 6000, please call our temporary mobile phone number: 07966 614 608.
We apologies for the inconvenience caused. Our phone provider are looking to resolve this problem as soon as possible. We will update this new article with further updates.
Bristol’s solar powered Energy Tree has been given a lease of new life with brand new solar panels.
The Energy Tree was originally launched in Millennium Square in 2015 as part of Bristol’s European Green Capital. Created in partnership by BDP service users, Demand Energy Equality and We the curious the exhibit aims to engage more people in renewable energy.
Since it’s launch in 2015, the fifteen foot Energy Tree has been harnessing the power of the sun through its 36 solar PV panels. Now with it’s new solar panels installed, the Energy Tree will continue to serve as a hands-on exhibit, acting as a free Wi-Fi hotspot and allowing members of the public to charge their mobile phones for free.
A new lease of life has beeen given to The Energy Tree
We’ve added brand new #solar panels to the tree’s branches
The Bristol #energytree is getting a much needed renovation – we’ll be installing new panels to keep it powered for another 10 years pic.twitter.com/HB6nGT1Yio — DemandEnergyEquality (@DemandEnEq) March 24, 2018
