
In a ground-breaking initiative, Forward Leeds is entering a new collaboration with local lived experience recovery organisation (LERO), Getting Clean.
This new venture means Forward Leeds will provide support to strengthen Getting Clean’s capacity to provide peer-to-peer support for individuals recovering from drug and alcohol addiction.
Operations Director of Forward Leeds Helen Cook said: “We believe in the power of lived experience, and Getting Clean’s approach is perfectly aligned with our vision for community-based recovery.
“By supporting Getting Clean, we’re not only helping people recover but also investing in a cleaner, more sustainable future.”
Getting Clean has long been dedicated to offering peer-to-peer support, and this new influx of resources will allow the organisation to expand its operations and have a greater impact.
“This collaboration is about more than just recovery,” said Getting Clean Founder Chris Sylvester. “It’s about showing that people in recovery can give back to their communities and the planet in significant ways. We are excited to work with Forward Leeds to create opportunities that transform lives and improve our environment.”
The new relationship will focus on offering people in recovery a renewed sense of purpose through volunteer opportunities that support others in their recovery journey and positively impact the environment.
This alliance will empower those with lived experience of issues with alcohol or drugs to take active roles in the community, furthering both organisations’ shared goals of creating a healthier Leeds and a greener planet.
Forward Leeds will provide funding for Getting Clean to meet several key objectives:
- Peer-led support to help individuals navigate their recovery by connecting with others who have experienced similar challenges.
- Creating a cleaner and greener Leeds: Volunteers will engage in activities like community clean-ups and environmental initiatives, contributing to sustainability and promoting eco-friendly practices.
- Providing volunteers with pathways to employment: Through structured programmes, individuals will develop valuable skills, boosting their employability and aiding in their long-term recovery.
- Promoting environmentalism and sustainability: The joint effort will highlight the importance of environmental responsibility alongside personal recovery, showing how the two are interconnected.
- Promoting abstinence-based recovery: Getting Clean will continue to advocate for abstinence as a cornerstone of long-term recovery, while offering support to those seeking to lead substance-free lives.
- Changing the public perception of addiction: This initiative will work to reshape how addiction is viewed by the public, demonstrating that recovery is not only possible but can lead to meaningful contributions to society and the environment.
Forward Leeds, the city’s leading alcohol and drug support service, sees this collaboration as an opportunity to extend their reach by working with Getting Clean’s peer-led model.
The joint venture will begin immediately, with several community-based projects already up and running.
By combining forces, Forward Leeds and Getting Clean are breaking new ground in how recovery is approached in Leeds, placing equal emphasis on personal well-being, environmental responsibility, and community involvement.
The initiative will provide hope and tangible support for those in recovery while illustrating that a brighter, greener future is possible—for individuals and for Leeds as a whole.