Addiction rehabilitation home opens its doors

Photo: Laura Wild

The Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, cutting the ribon to Redwood House

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A new residential care home to combat drug and alcohol addiction was officially opened by the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, today (Thursday 10 June 2010).

Redwood House on Newton Street, Rochdale, hopes to give those people who have turned their backs on drugs and alcohol the best chance of lasting success in their recovery.

Mayor Ali said: "The people involved in this scheme have done a tremendous job. Redwood House is the ideal place for many people in the community who need help and support to settle down with the rest of us."

The centre is the brain child of Acorn Treatment and Housing and Rochdale Borough Council’s Drug Alcohol Action Team.

Over the next month the first eight clients will be moving into the centre to complete a 20 week rehabilitation residential course.

Work on Redwood House began just six months ago and the finished building has eight bedrooms, a large kitchen area, a living area, a conservatory and a large garden.

The centre provides a holistic range of services aimed at providing clients with opportunities to do well in life once their residential stay is over.

Training, skills and knowledge courses are provided alongside treatment and counselling, to help get former drug and alcohol dependent people back into employment.

Redwood House is the first facility of its kind in Rochdale. Clients who are referred to the centre have to have quit drugs and/or alcohol before they can be considered for the programme. The centre allows them to complete their drug and alcohol abstinence recovery by allowing them to access a structured after-care programme that’s often been missed in the past.

Ed Smith Director of Redwood House, said: “Acorn Treatment and Housing are very pleased to provide a specialised facility to Rochdale clients, and making a lasting difference to the community.

"Acorn would like to thank the Department of Health, NHS Heywood Middleton Rochdale, Rochdale Drug Alcohol Action Team and Rochdale Supporting People Team in supporting this important service and offering Rochdale service users the option of addiction rehabilitation in their own community."

The centre will be staffed 24 hours a day and is open to men and women from Rochdale who have identified having a substance misuse problem.