The Forward Trust
The Bridges: Breaking the Cycle
To break the cycle of addiction and crime by providing ex-offenders with the intensive support and aftercare needed to recover from substance misuse and develop the skills, confidence and aspirations to build a positive, sustainable, crime-free future and move forward with their lives
It ran from 12:00 PM, 27 November 2018 to 12:00 PM, 4 December 2018
Registered Charity in England and Wales (1001701)
Match funded Campaign target
£15,000
Amount raised
£22,034
Donations
10
Location
Campaign overview
Aims
Where's the money going?
Impact & reporting
Situation
Over 55% of prisoners in England and Wales commit offences due to drug use (Hansard, 2014), around 76% of substance misusing offenders re-offend within 12 months of release (MoJ, 2013) and the risk of a drug-related death is 7.5 times higher within the first 2 weeks of a prisoner’s release (E Merrall, 2010). This highlights the pressing need for effective, tailored, through-the-gate support for ex-offenders leaving prison who suffer from addiction so they can change their lives for the better.
Solution
The Bridges is Forward’s Hull-based residential rehabilitation centre – the only one in the country especially designed for ex-offenders struggling with substance misuse issues. It provides up to 24 weeks of intensive support to ex-offenders to overcome their addiction, restore their family relationships and build a positive life. The treatment programme consists of a combination of workshops, group therapy and counselling sessions and signposting to other local services where necessary.
“My life is so different today… My relationships have improved - I am loving father, brother and son and feel like I’m a good role model to my daughter too. This is all because of the treatment and support I got from The Bridges.”
— Former client of the Bridges
“The Bridges inspires me to do well and I know I’ve done the right thing in getting on that train to Hull. Most of all I am so grateful for the organisation and all its supporters – you believed in me and gave me a chance in life when no one else would.”
— Bryan, Former client of the Bridges
“I can’t believe how much the Bridges has changed me. I take one day at a time and I’m so grateful to everyone who works there who’s really helped me. I go back sometimes as a peer supporter and help out with groups. I feel good about myself, I feel well and for the first time in years life's good"
— Former Bridges Client
“My life is so different today… My relationships have improved - I am loving father, brother and son and feel like I’m a good role model to my daughter too. This is all because of the treatment and support I got from The Bridges.”
— Former client of the Bridges
“The Bridges inspires me to do well and I know I’ve done the right thing in getting on that train to Hull. Most of all I am so grateful for the organisation and all its supporters – you believed in me and gave me a chance in life when no one else would.”
— Bryan, Former client of the Bridges
“I can’t believe how much the Bridges has changed me. I take one day at a time and I’m so grateful to everyone who works there who’s really helped me. I go back sometimes as a peer supporter and help out with groups. I feel good about myself, I feel well and for the first time in years life's good"
— Former Bridges Client