North Lanarkshire church partners with Street Connect charity

A NORTH Lanarkshire church has partnered with a Glasgow-based charity to bring fresh hope and support to people affected by addiction, homelessness and poor mental health.

Under the partnership between South Wishaw Parish Church and Street Connect, which was launched in September, staff and volunteers will be going out into the streets to let people know that help is available.

The church will host a new drop-in centre, named the New Life Recovery Hub, and a dedicated space offering people support, a place to chat, to be listened to and to feel safe.

South Wishaw’s minister, the Rev Terry Moran said: “We see a great need in our community. People are struggling with the effect that alcohol and drug addiction is having on their lives, and our partnership with Street Connect will allow us to offer people the chance of recovery and hope.”

Street Connect works in partnership with local churches to create projects where they can provide support and build relationships. Working alongside the church, Street Connect offer support and solutions to the difficulties they have seen people face in their local communities.

The project at South Wishaw Parish Church will provide invaluable support to people, particularly as drug and alcohol related deaths continue to rise across Scotland.

Julie McAddock is the co-founder and Operations Manager at Street Connect, and has personal experience of overcoming drug addiction and homelessness. She said: “This is a really exciting opportunity that will allow more people to receive the support that they need, and we are delighted to be partnering with South Wishaw Church. It will be giving people a real chance to begin to make steps towards recovery.

“When in the midst of addiction, it can be difficult to see a way out, and people often have a range of complex needs but the hope is that this project will allow people the chance to see that they are valued and that through the services we provide they will feel supported and able to take positive steps towards a brighter more fulfilling future.”

Street Connect grew out of the outreach of the independent Glasgow City Church, and operate projects in Glasgow City Centre, Possilpark, Clydebank, Paisley, Greenock and Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill. It is important to Street Connect that they do not wait until people come to them but that they go out to where people are, and street outreach is at the heart of their work. Staff and trained volunteers, many with lived experience of drug and alcohol issues, take part in Street Outreach and offer respect, friendly conversation and advice to help those in need to address the challenges they face. Through Street Outreach people are offered the chance to engage with the support offered at Street Connect or by signposting to other organisations.