Bracknell

New Hope will be given to drug-users in Bracknell Forest wanting to kick the habit when the borough's only drop-in service officially expands next month (Tuesday, September 12).

Extra services and support will be available to drug users wanting to beat their addictions when Bracknell New Hope expands to offer a seamless treatment package.

New services on offer include helping addicts who are at risk of losing their homes, providing individual treatment sessions every week, expanding the day-care programme to include 12 people instead of six and giving help and advice to prisoners due to return to the borough upon parole.

The expansion, which includes a new meeting room, follows the successful launch of New Hope in July 2005 and will host Bracknell Forest's only Narcotics Anonymous meeting on Wednesday evenings.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council's Drug and Alcohol Action Team started planning the expansion earlier this year and with the input of service users it was finished in July.

The expansion will be officially opened when a new Structured Day Care Programme, run by Cranstoun Drug Agency but commissioned by the council's drug and Alcohol Action Team, is unveiled on September 12, although additional services have been running for the past six weeks.

Jillian Hunt, DAAT Coordinator and Joint Commissioner, said: "Since the opening of New Hope there has been a significant increase in residents entering substance misuse services.

"This does not mean the number of residents with issues around the misuse of substances has grown but it shows having a local service has improved access and cut down on the time people have to wait to enter treatment programmes.

"The success of the service being provided has meant we had to expand both the premises and services provided."

Cllr Dale Birch, Executive Member for Adult Services, Health Commissioning and Housing, added: "This expansion will quite literally offer drug users in Bracknell Forest new hope.

"We do not have a big drugs problem in the borough but what we do have is a comprehensive treatment centre which is available to anyone who does have an addiction and wants to get help."

Residents concerned about their own alcohol or drug addictions or those of a friend or relative can go along to the launch where a host of information and support will be available from staff and service users.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council