Essex Recovery Foundation

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Creating a community of people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction 🩵
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30/10/2026

Happy Halloween from all of us at Essex Recovery Foundation 🎃

We know this weekend can feel like a lot. Parties, fancy dress and drinks everywhere can be tricky, whether you’re in early recovery or years in.

So we’ve pulled together a few things that feel scary about recovery, and what our community has found to be true:

- Walking in on your own? Someone will offer you a cuppa before you’ve sat down
- Worried you’ll never have fun again? Our community does fancy dress, karaoke and full-on dancing, stone cold sober
- Think everyone will notice you’re not drinking? Most people are too busy enjoying themselves
- Nervous about telling people you’re in recovery? Loads of us are, and you might be surprised who’s been there

The only genuinely scary bit is doing it on your own, and you don’t have to.

If you’re looking for some friendly faces, come along to a Recovery Space. Everyone’s welcome, and you won’t be the only new face: https://www.essexrecoveryfoundation.org/recovery-spaces

Have a safe and happy Halloween 👻

29/10/2026

Life can feel non-stop, and it’s not always easy to give yourself permission to rest.

Tomorrow night at Cornerstone Chelmsford, Lisa and Queenie are running a gong bath. It’s a gentle sound experience where you lie back, get comfy and let the gongs do the work. There’s nothing you need to know or do beforehand, and whether it’s your first gong bath or your tenth, you’re really welcome.

Come as you are and take an hour just for you.

🗓 Friday 30 October, 7pm–8pm
📍 Cornerstone Café, 15-21 Rainsford Road, Chelmsford, CM1 2XL
🎟 £15 per person
🧡 your own pillow, blanket and eye mask

Book your place: https://essexrecoveryfoundation.beaconforms.com/form/3aec27cc

28/10/2026

Walking into a room full of strangers takes courage. Walking into one when you’re in recovery can take even more.

That’s why the first face people see at our Recovery Spaces matters so much. It’s someone who smiles, puts the kettle on and makes them feel like they belong.

Could that be you?

We’re looking for volunteers to help run our Recovery Spaces across Essex, and we especially need people in Basildon. We meet every Thursday morning at the Towngate Theatre, 10.30am to 12.30pm, to connect, chat and share what’s going on locally.

You don’t need any experience, just warmth, a listening ear and a willingness to talk to people from all walks of life. We’ll give you full training, cover your travel and be there to support you the whole way. You’ll also join a lovely community of volunteers from right across the county.

Lots of our volunteers say it’s the most meaningful part of their week. Some have been through recovery themselves, some have loved someone who has, and some just want to give back. All of them help make recovery a bit more visible in Essex.

If this sounds like you, register your interest using the link in the comments and Laura will be in touch for a chat.

We’re also looking for volunteers in Rayleigh, Harlow, Thurrock and Colchester, so do share with anyone you think would be brilliant.

Find out more, and register your interest here: https://www.essexrecoveryfoundation.org/volunteer

19/10/2026

Looking for somewhere to connect over the next couple of weeks?

Recovery Spaces are happening across Essex every week. They’re a relaxed, welcoming place to meet others, share as much or as little as you like and feel part of a community that gets it.

You don’t need to have everything figured out to come along. Just find the one that works for you, and pull up a chair.

Coming up:
📍 Thurrock, Tuesday 20 October
📍 Chelmsford, Thursday 22 October
📍 Colchester, Friday 23 October
📍 Thurrock, Tuesday 27 October
📍 Basildon, Thursday 29 October

✨ We’re also popping up in Loughton on Tuesday 10 November.

Find times and venues on our website 👉 https://www.essexrecoveryfoundation.org/events

16/10/2026

Every piece of art on these walls was made by someone in our community 🧡

Last month we opened the ERF Art Gallery at , celebrating the creativity of people who come along to our Recovery Spaces and Community Voice. It was created in collaboration with Gretel.

Some pieces were bright and joyful, some were quiet and personal. Every one of them was brave to put on a wall.

Thank you to everyone who shared their work, and to everyone who came along to see it. 🖼️

We also used the evening to launch something new: Art & Poetry sessions. More details coming soon, so keep an eye out. 👀

15/10/2026

Addiction doesn’t only affect the person going through it. It can have a huge impact on the people who love and support them too.

Our new Friends & Family Recovery Space is a relaxed, welcoming place to meet other people across Essex who understand. Share your story if you want to, or just come along, have a cuppa and listen. You can also find out about other support available to you. There’s no pressure either way.

📅 Monday 19 October
🕠 5:30pm–7:30pm
📍 Cornerstone Chelmsford

It’s drop-in, so there’s no need to book. If someone close to you is affected by addiction, you’re welcome. 🧡

Friends & Family Recovery Spaces run on the third Monday of every month.

14/10/2026

What would drug and alcohol services in Essex look like if they were shaped by the people who use them?

Community Voice brings together people with lived experience, recovery communities and services from across the county to share ideas, talk honestly about what needs to change and help decide where things go next.

Never been to anything like this before? That’s completely fine. You don’t need any experience, and you don’t need to know how services are commissioned. Come along, listen, and contribute as much or as little as you feel comfortable with.

What’s shared on the day sits alongside research from our community researchers. Together, it helps the group agree on priorities and influence real decisions about local support.

Whether you’re in recovery, supporting someone else, volunteering or working within the sector, your perspective matters.

📅 Wednesday 21 October 2026
🕙 10:30am–3pm
📍 The Hive, High Street, Rayleigh, SS6 7QA
🚐 Free shared transport from Basildon, Harlow, Colchester, Clacton, Chelmsford and Grays

Join the conversation. Help shape what comes next.

Find out more, and book your place: https://www.essexrecoveryfoundation.org/events/community-voice-rayleigh

10/10/2026

This year's World Mental Health Day theme is "Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change". At Essex Recovery Foundation, that's not just one day. It's how we work all year round.

Everything we do is shaped by people with lived experience. Our Community Researchers bring their own experience to the questions they ask. Our Voices of Recovery volunteers share their stories to change how people see addiction and recovery. And at Community Voice, the recovery community helps shape what happens next for services across Essex.

Here's one example. 🧡

In March, more than 100 people came together at Community Voice in Colchester and voted on which research the Essex Drug & Alcohol Treatment System should take on. One topic stood out: how people affected by substance use experience and understand mental health.

That priority came straight from people's own experiences. Many told us how hard it can be to get mental health support while still drinking or using, and how hard it can be to get addiction support while struggling with mental health.

We've shared what you told us with the Essex Drug & Alcohol Treatment System, and we'll keep making sure your experiences are shared and heard.

If you'd like your voice to be part of it, you'll find our Recovery Spaces and upcoming Community Voice events on our website: https://www.essexrecoveryfoundation.org/events

08/10/2026

💬 A community conversation about addiction and recovery

Last Tuesday we brought people together at Cornerstone Chelmsford for an afternoon of honest conversation about addiction and recovery.

The event was a collaboration between ERF, Adam from Rainbow Recovery and members of our Voices of Recovery team, who co-delivered the session.

After a great warm-up from Adam, Phil opened the conversation on the value of lived experience. Katherine, Larry and Justin joined him, sharing their perspectives and answering questions from the floor.

Some of the best conversations happened over the tea break, with people from across Essex meeting, chatting and connecting. We finished with a Q&A covering everything from the value of lived experience to how to help people get help.

Thank you to everyone who came along and took part. 🧡

Address

Chelmsford

Website

http://www.essexrecoveryfoundation.org/

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