Kaleidoscope

29/10/2026

The Hub Newport today from 1 pm -

Curtis and Nathan cooking Jerk chicken
Free

22/10/2026

We’re proud of you, Meg ❤️ It takes such courage to speak out. We hope your story will raise awareness of ketamine-related harm.

Birchwood at Kaleidoscope House

20/10/2026

Meg, Mark and Sioned, three of our Birchwood residents, have bravely shared their experiences of ketamine use and its impact on their lives. By speaking out, they hope to help the public better understand the harm this drug can cause 🗣️

Over the past five years, Birchwood, our detox and rehab facility, has seen a significant rise in referrals - from just two in 2021 to 112 so far this year. The majority of those referred are aged 18 to 24 📈

Services traditionally designed for older adults are having to adapt to support much younger people, with very different needs and patterns of drug use, often established during their school years.

The Birchwood team is doing a terrific job navigating these challenges and working hard to improve treatment pathways. But there was a time when it felt as though they were “shouting in the dark” ❤️

Things are improving, with greater access to early intervention and support in the community, helping to reduce the need for detox. But there is still much more to do.

We’re also working with the University of South Wales (USW) to better understand what types of support work best for this specific group of people, so we can help ensure they receive the right support at the right time.

Birchwood at Kaleidoscope House University of South Wales

Read more and share this story if you’re worried about someone:

A decade after first trying ketamine, rehab is helping Megan rebuild her life after bladder issues caused by the drug left her needing to wear "pads or nappies".

Read more: https://bbc.in/4z0VaXJ

17/10/2026

Just a pleasant reminder the boys are back together for a master class in cooking

14/10/2026

Kaleidoscope supports

09/10/2026

What’s Occurring

Kaleidoscope CEO Rondine Molinero
Member of Parliament Ruth Jones – Newport West and Islwyn

GDAS Head of Operations and Harm Reduction Lead
Gavin Jones

Director for Wales – Alcohol Change UK
Andrew Misell

Mick
GDAS Volunteer

Paul
GDAS Volunteer

25/09/2026

The Naloxone Cup is back for 2026! ⚽️🙌

Will Kaleidoscope bring home the trophy yet again? Come along this Thursday to find out and support this worthy cause 💛

📆 Thursday 1st October
📍 Newtown Football Club
⏰ Kick-off: 1:30pm

⚽🎉 A huge thank you to Rapid Relief Team UK for once again providing food and refreshments at this year's Naloxone Cup!

📅 Thursday 1st October
📍 Newtown Football Club
⏰ Kick-off: 1:30pm

Team Kaleidoscope is still looking for players! If you'd like to get involved and take part, please speak to a member of staff.

👏 Entry is completely free, so come along to support the teams, enjoy the atmosphere, and cheer everyone on.

We look forward to seeing you there! 💙⚽
___________________________________________

⚽🎉 Diolch yn fawr iawn i Rapid Relief Team UK am ddarparu bwyd a lluniaeth unwaith eto ar gyfer Cwpan Naloxone eleni!

📅 Dydd Iau, 1 Hydref
📍 Clwb Pêl-droed y Drenewydd
⏰ Cic gyntaf: 1:30pm

Mae Tîm Kaleidoscope yn dal i chwilio am chwaraewyr! Os hoffech gymryd rhan, siaradwch ag aelod o staff.

👏 Mae mynediad yn gwbl rhad ac am ddim, felly dewch draw i gefnogi'r timau, mwynhau'r awyrgylch, a rhoi eich cefnogaeth i bawb.

Edrychwn ymlaen at eich gweld chi yno! 💙⚽

11/09/2026

🎥 Did you catch ITV Wales' recent report on the increasing risks within the illicit drug market?

As part of the programme, Gavin Jones, Kaleidoscope's Harm Reduction Lead, shared insights from our drug checking and harm reduction work, highlighting the growing unpredictability of substances being sold and why timely drug checking intelligence is more important than ever.

The report also featured the advanced FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) substance-checking equipment operated by Gareth Leonard at the GDAS in Newport. Earlier this year, Kaleidoscope secured a landmark Home Office licence to enable Wales's first frontline, front-of-house drug checking facility, helping to identify emerging substances and inform local harm reduction responses.

Mick Bird also provided a powerful lived experience perspective, reflecting on how changes in the illicit drug market could have affected him during his own journey.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in helping shine a light on this important public health issue and raise awareness of the risks posed by an increasingly complex and unpredictable drug supply.

If you missed the coverage, you can watch it here 👇

https://www.itv.com/watch/news/health-bosses-warn-wales-illicit-drug-market-is-getting-more-complex-and-unpredictable/jfqhxt0

GDAS - Gwent Drug and Alcohol Service

Watch the latest from ITV News - The warning comes after more than one in three samples tested by Public Health Wales contained substances other than what the buyer should expect.

07/09/2026

Curtis's story is a powerful reminder that recovery is possible.

After years of addiction, prison and repeated setbacks, Curtis found lasting recovery through determination, support and a commitment to change. Today, he volunteers as a peer mentor with GDAS - Gwent Drug and Alcohol Service and uses his lived experience to inspire hope.

You can read his interview with Inside Time here 👇

🔗 https://insidetime.org/comment/i-went-from-rugby-to-crack/

01/09/2026

Great to spend time with the Kaleidoscope Powys team in Knighton this week!

We spoke about the support they provide to people affected by drug and alcohol use, and the stigma that can still stop people from asking for help, particularly in smaller rural communities.

Recovery is about far more than one issue. Housing, mental health, employment and wider circumstances all matter, and services like Kaleidoscope play a vital role in helping people through those challenges.

A big thank you to Rondine and the rest of the team for such an open and honest discussion!