‘Amazing’ turnout as city hosts Recovery Walk

Around 1,500 former addicts and their supporters take part in national event

Around 1,500 people who have beaten addictions turned out for the Scottish Recovery Walk in Dundee at the weekend.

The event, which is in its fifth year, was held in the City of Discovery for the first time and was hailed a success.

Families, friends and support workers of those recovering from addiction also took part in the rally, which started at City Quay and finished at Magdalene Green.

Brian Morgan, from the Scottish Recovery Consortium, who organised the event, said: “It seems that wherever we’ve held the walk in the past, the sun always shines and this time was no exception.

“The turnout has been amazing – we counted around 1,500 registrations.

“This is the fifth such walk, so people are getting used to it now and turning up more organised.

“We’ve got people with banners and special T-shirts, and there is so much camaraderie among the different groups, which have come from all over the country.

“The whole point of this event is to make recovery visible – hopefully people will be inspired and empowered by the walk, and will then go back to their areas and raise awareness of recovery.

“We were really pleased about holding the walk in Dundee this year and were very happy with the way everything worked out.”

Mr Morgan explained that he has been working with Recovery Dundee, a recently-founded community group for people recovering from addictions.

He has also been liaising with local councillors, MPS and MSPS, who were said to have been very supportive of the cause.

Derek Watt, from Recovery Dundee, said: “We’re quite a new group, a bunch of people who are in recovery.

“We aim to help people through the power of example.

“The whole point of this event is to make recovery visible ... BRIAN MORGAN, OF THE SCOTTISH RECOVERY CONSORTIUM

“We know people and organisations that can help those recovering from addictions find work, or get involved in different activities, so we can point them in the right direction.”

The walk also had the support of a recovery worker from Denmark, who came to Dundee specially for the event.

Frank Brodde said he was keen to organise a similar walk in his home country.

He added: “I work in the sphere of recovery and spent three months working in Dundee earlier this year.

“I knew some of the organisers of the Recovery Walk so I came from Denmark to take part.

“It was such a good event and it would be awesome if I could set up something similar in Denmark.”

nvidinova@thecourier.co.uk

Pictures: Gareth Jennings. Left: Walkers set out at the start of the event in Dundee; and, above, some people threw roses into the River Tay as a memorial to those who have lost their lives to substance misuse.