Celebration of Recovery at The Millennium Forum

Celebration of Recovery brings together individuals in recovery, their friends and family, professionals, and others who work with them, and the broader community in a festive gala event with inspirational talks, music, art, dance, yoga, acupuncture, exhibits, educational presentations and street performances.

The festival of events aims to highlight the benefits of treatment for not only the affected individual, but for their family, friends, workplace, and society as a whole. Northlands believe that addressing and informing the public reduces the stigma associated with addiction and treatment. Accurate knowledge of the disease helps people to understand the importance of supporting treatment programs, those who work within the treatment field, and those in need of treatment.

A highlight of the week will be a one-day conference, also entitled a Celebration of Recovery, which will take place on Wednesday 28th May (9.30am-4.00pm). The objective for this conference is to provide an opportunity for the whole community to celebrate recovery from addiction. This will also be an occasion to provide insight and offer hope to individuals and their families who experience at first hand the consequences of addiction behaviour.

The conference will present a unique forum with a wide range of speakers from both public and private life, who will explore the issues surrounding addiction and recovery, in a meaningful and challenging way.

Guest speakers will include TV presenter and journalist William Crawley of BBC Northland Ireland who will speak on ‘addiction as a family illness’. Chris Mordue, Director of Training and Education at Tony Adams Sporting Chances Rehabilitation clinic in Hertfordshire, will discuss how alcohol and drugs affect the brain and behaviour and the recovery process for people in general and also those involved in sporting life. Writer and Poet and winner of Northern Irelands first BAFTA Damian Gorman will talk about his own journey of recovery. Barbara Mc Narry sister of legendary footballer George Best will speak about alcohol and the impact on family life.

Other guest speakers to be announced later will include contributions from alcohol and drugs rehabilitation units throughout Ireland and the UK. A VIP will be in attendance to open the conference and MC for the event will be shared by Susan McReynolds, presenter of RTE Radio One weekend programmes and also long serving journalist BBC Radio Foyle broadcaster Paul McFadden who presents his own show and has also presented the Sony Gold Award-winning “The Morning Programme”.

The Conference takes place on Wednesday 28th May 9.30am–4.00pm, at the Millennium Forum, Derry/Londonderry. Admission is free and all are welcome.

For more information on Celebration of Recovery or to book your place on the conference, please contact Nuala or Brian on 028 7131 3232 or email info@northlands.org.uk.