Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Bringing Hope to city
Festival will challenge stigma of drug and alcohol addiction
A NEW one-day festival coming to Dundee will fo c u s on c h a l le n g i n g t he st ig ma assoc iated w ith dr ug and alcohol addiction and aim to bring communities together.
Taking place on October 19 at the Steeple Church, Hope Festival will host a series of events including face painting, live music, film screenings and naloxone training.
Following statistics released in July, which revealed 109 people across Tayside died due to drugs in 2018, a selection of groups partnered up to try to tackle the negativity surrounding the city’s drug crisis.
Spearheaded by Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD), in conjunction with a variety of other organisations, the festival will be the first of its kind in Dundee.
For Ashleigh Husband, a connecting families development officer at SFAD, the event is happening at an important time for the city.
She said: “There has been a negative spotlight on Dundee in recent times.
“As a result, we felt there needed to be something that brought people together centring on hope and inclusivity.
“So many people, including families and friends of those struggling, have experienced exclusion and marginalisation because of the stigma associated with these addictions.
“It’s been heartwarming to see the support for this event when everyone is so busy.”
One of the people for whom the event holds particular significance is Denise Fitzsimmons, a peer recovery worker for Volunteer Dundee.
Denise has been sober for four and a half years, following a battle with alcohol that resulted in her losing her job as a nurse.
Three months ago she began her current role with the Luna Placebased organisation and has been keen to show her support for the upcoming festival.
She said: “With all the negative publicity that has been surrounding the city, we are keen to encourage hope, bring the community together and show that Dundee does care.
“It’s also an important opportunity to showcase some of the services available.”
Harm reduction training will also be on offer, providing members of the community with knowledge that could save a life further down the line.
Organisers have thanked their partner organisations, as well as the Alcohol and Drug Partnership, Volunteer Dundee and the National Lottery Community Fund, for helping to fund the project.