Event takes on addiction stigma

Dundee played host to first ever Hope Festival amid city drug crisis

A former heroin addict shared her story of recovery as people from across Dundee came together at the weekend to show their support to those battling drug and alcohol problems.

Cheryl Ferguson opened up as part of the city’s first-ever Hope Festival, held at the Steeple Church.

The event was held to tackle the hurtful stigma surrounding addiction that exists in society.

Organised by Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD), it drew people from all walks of life.

Cheryl has been clean for three years after more than a decade of heroin addiction. She said breaking down stigma was one of the most important steps needed to help people.

“You don’t wake up one day and say ‘I want to take drugs’,” she said.

“We need to understand why people do it and get rid of that reason.

“When I was homeless, I would be kicked in the face. I was dirt on people’s shoes. But the kindness I was shown by some meant I was able to build my confidence and trust back up.

“If I hadn’t stopped taking drugs I would be in a box right now.”

She said she hoped the weekend’s activities would be the start of a different way of approaching the issue and supporting members of the community who could benefit from some understanding.

“That’s why it’s in a church in the middle of a town – to encourage anybody to walk in and maybe get a better understanding that people who use drugs aren’t bad people,” she added.

People who attended the event were able to get free training on how to administer the anti-overdose drug Naloxone.

The Rev Kerry Dixon was among the roughly 40 people who took advantage of the instruction on Saturday.

He said he had tried to resuscitate a man overdosing in the past but was only able to give mouth-to-mouth before paramedics arrived to administer Naloxone and save his life.

Mr Dixon, who is a minister at St Paul’s Cathedral and others in Dundee, said: “There’s a real possibility that if I have this training and a kit available I could save someone’s life.”

The festival also featured face painting, live music and film screenings.

There were 53 drugs-related deaths in Dundee in 2018, the highest number recorded. The Dundee Drugs Commission published the findings of its year-long inquiry earlier this year. It called on treatment services to be more flexible and ambitious on behalf of the people they work with.

Around 500 people attended the three-hour event.

Kris Miller. Pictures: Clockwise from above: Ashley Husband talking at the opening of the Hope Festival; MSP Joe Fitzpatrick and specialist pharmacist Sarah Donaldson discussing Naloxone; volunteers from the Police Scotland Youth Volunteers who were helping out at the festival; Cheryl Ferguson, a recovered addict who now volunteers.