2000 turn out to demonstrate that there can be hope amid the despair
MORE than 2000 people marched in the sunshine to show Scotland there are ways to beat drugs.
The Recovery Walk Scotland in Inverness attracted people from across the country in the latest move to raise awareness of addiction.
The day mixed remembrance and tributes to the dead, including the 1187 last year alone, but achieved the prime objective of making recovery visible and joyful.
Scottish health minister Joe FitzPatrick spent the day with the assembled “recoverists” and families and was among those to throw a red rose in the River Ness as a memorial for those lost to drugs.
Many local recovery groups and representatives from Alcohol and Drug Partnerships turned up for the walk on Saturday and banners made by prisoners were also on display to represent the breadth of the crisis in Scotland. Co-organiser Jardine BY MARK McGIVERN Chief Reporter Simpson, chief executive of the Scottish Recovery Consortium, said the day was a huge success.
He said: “We had a moving Roses Ceremony to remember those lost to drug, alcohol and suicide deaths prior to the walk through the city.
“The walk itself is a visible statement that people recover and become thriving, contributing members of communities.
“People in recovery want to take this message to all of Scotland. “We understand, through our own recoveries, that compassionate communities create the conditions for all of us to have happy, fulfilled and healthy lives.” Simpson said it was appreciated that Joe FitzPatrick gave up his Saturday. He said: “Mr FitzPatrick placed a rose in the River Ness, walked and then addressed the Recoverists. “Taking Recovery Walk Scotland to Inverness was challenging for us – its the most northerly event we’ve held – but it was important to us to make clear that there is no part of Scotland that is not harmed by addiction issues and that every community in Scotland has recovery happening within it.
“I want to thank everyone who joined us, thank the people of Inverness for supporting us and ask everyone in Scotland to play there part in making Scotland a more connected and compassionate place to live in.”
Scotland’s drug deaths are the worst in Europe and our statistics are the worst in the developed world.
A 26-strong Scottish Drug Deaths Taskforce plans to find new ways of tackling the crisis and a summit will take place in Glasgow.