The clinic is under threat due to funding cuts
Earlier this month it was reported the last remaining residential rehab centre in Bristol is facing closure due to severe funding cuts.
Chandos House in Redland could shut its doors before the end of the year unless it manages to raise £100,000 in a short space of time, it was announced at the beginning of August.
Its owners, who have helped countless people get back on their feet following addiction, have launched a desperate appeal to keep the much-needed clinic running.
Chandos House has been providing its service for 35 years and has enjoyed huge success, with 86 per cent of men completing treatment and 97 per cent reporting that they experience an improved sense of psychological and emotional wellbeing following treatment.
But its Local Authority Substance Misuse budget has been reduced by one third in the past two years, placing its future in jeopardy.
If it does close, there will be no rehabilitation centre of this nature left in Bristol, which could prove catastrophic - and this is something Russell Brand is acutely aware of.
The award-winning comedian, actor and activist, who has battled addiction himself, has weighed in with support on his social media channels, sharing heartfelt messages and videos about the Bristol centre on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - reaching a combined following of over 15 million people.
Russell Brand’s statement in full
“The treatment centre where I got clean has been closed. Treatment centres everywhere are threatened.
“Increasingly I feel that places like Chandos House, facilities built on love, providing compassion for vulnerable people who need help to discover their value, embody the change we need as a culture and individuals.
“Think of the many addicts we’ve lost, the people we love whose chance has now gone. Chandos House saves lives, creates community, more than a rehab - am alchemic crucible for human transformation- a cathedral of hope. Chandos House stands as last stop before the street and the graveyard and our action is required to prevent its closure.
“Please act while you can. Attend their fundraiser today if you can get to Bristol or donate here.”
Brand has abstained from drug use since 2002 and is now a patron of the Focus 12 drug treatment programme, acting as a “sponsor” for numerous people during the rehabilitation stage of their treatment process.
Chandos House, where men receiving treatment refer to themselves as ‘Chandos brothers’, was recently reconstituted as a non-profit community interest company (CIC) and helps men recovering from alcoholism, substance misuse and psychological trauma, depression, anxiety and loss.
Speaking to Bristol Live when the initial announcement was made, councillor Asher Craig, cabinet member for Communities and Equalities at Bristol City Council, said: “Chandos House is one of our approved providers and funding levels are defined by demand for placements, rather than a fixed amount per year, so funding goes up and down in line with demand.
“We know services such as this can support people in their recovery, which is why we recently introduced new recovery clinics promoting residential rehab across different parts of the city, details of which are available on our website.”
Original article posted by BristolLive click to view.
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