WIREDGOV

People with long-term alcohol problems are learning to prepare meals together – thanks to a new project that addresses the poor nutrition and social isolation often linked to alcohol misuse.

Feeding Recovery is being delivered in Swansea and Cardiff, by Barod and the Nelson Trust, organisations who support the long term recovery of people affected by substance use, who are ready to make positive changes to their lives.

At a visit to a project in Swansea, the Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Sarah Murphy, met people attending a cookery class and found out more about how the project is helping them regain control of their lives and remake social connections, as part of their recovery from alcohol misuse.

She said:

Feeding Recovery is one of a range of schemes to encourage people to take part in positive activities and reduce social isolation. The project is about more than just alcohol, it offers a model for services supporting people facing a range of challenges and obstacles in their lives.

Getting involved in group activities such as cookery classes can make a huge difference to people’s recovery.

Caroline Phipps, Chief Executive at Barod said:

It’s been a privilege to welcome the Minister to share our research into the relationship between food and those accessing support at Barod’s drug and alcohol service. We want to thank everyone who took part in the research for sharing their experiences so openly.

By working together, we can ensure people on their recovery journey from alcohol and drugs receive the holistic, person centred support they need to rebuild their health, wellbeing and futures.

The project is supported by Alcohol Change UK who have received over £7,000 of Welsh Government funding to expand the project, in addition to their £150,000 annual grant.

Feeding Recovery forms part of Barod's wider recovery programme, which provides support, information and advocacy to those who are vulnerable and marginalised as the result of their own or someone else’s drug or alcohol use, to improve their physical, social and emotional well–being.

Andrew Misell, Director for Wales at Alcohol Change UK said:

We know that many people who use alcohol heavily long-term don’t eat enough, as alcohol pushes other things aside in their lives. There is great work going on at Barod in Swansea and the Nelson Trust in Cardiff to help people using their services to eat more and better food and make new friends over shared meals.

With funding from the Welsh Government, Alcohol Change UK have been able to find out what the key ingredients of successful cooking and eating sessions are.

We’ve brought all those lessons together in the Feeding Recovery Handbook, which is available free-or-charge in English and Welsh on the Alcohol Change UK website, for anyone to use. We hope it will encourage more local services to realise what a big role food can play in people’s journey to recovery.

As well as the Swansea based cooking classes, the Welsh Government funding enabled expansion of the scheme in Cardiff, at the Nelson Trust’s centre for vulnerable women, effectively doubling the size of the project.