The Foundation is supporting families blighted by drink and drug problems in Durham
A national charity, which helps ex-offenders turn their lives around, is setting up a project in Durham with help from the Northern Rock Foundation.
Addaction was founded in 1967 to work with people in the criminal justice system who have misused drugs and alcohol and offers rehabilitation, not only to them but also to their families. Now, thanks to a grant of £133,978 from the Northern Rock Foundation, it is able to expand its service to operate throughout County Durham.
Addaction hopes to help around 120 families in the county, who are struggling with the effects of drink or drug abuse and dealing with the stigma of having a family member in prison, in the coming year alone. Simon Antrobus, Chief Executive of Addaction, said: “There is a clear demand in Durham for the services we provide and this project has been a long time in the planning. We are very grateful to the Northern Rock Foundation, with which we’ve had a strong relationship for some years, for helping us put those plans into action.”
Northern Rock’s grant to Addaction was one of 15 grants, totalling more than £1m, given by the Northern Rock Foundation to charitable organisations in its latest round of awards. It was match funded by The Zurich Community Trust, a charity which works to support a range of local, national and overseas charities and voluntary organisations. Penny Wilkinson, Chief Executive of the Foundation, said: “The Foundation has been working with Addaction and the Zurich Foundation for quite a while to set up this project in Durham. We are very pleased that the Zurich Foundation has match funded our £133,978 grant, bringing new funding for this work into our region, and that families who are living in the shadow of drug and alcohol abuse will be able to receive the support they so clearly need. We also welcome Durham Drug and Alcohol Service’s commitment to funding the service in the future.”