Identifying the right network of dedicated and ambitious partners has enabled us to deliver on our charitable purposes and activities. Here is just one of the life-changing projects that our grant partners have been involved in. After struggling with addiction for 15 years, Gary Rutherford turned his life around, training as a mental health nurse and addiction counsellor. In 2019 he set up ARC Fitness to share his personal and professional experiences using mental and physical fitness for the benefit of others struggling with their negative relationship to substances.

What was initially planned as an online signposting service connecting individuals to existing services, rapidly snowballed with many more enquiries from people recognising Gary as a role model and the person whom they trusted to lead their own recovery journey. The pioneering six-week recovery programme includes individual and group training, running therapy, restorative yoga, mindfulness and even boxing, all tailored to suit all levels of ability. Emotional resilience is built by way of one-to-one counselling and group meetings. Participants can access the ARC Academy – an addiction recovery eLearning platform to better help them understand the nature of addiction, recovery and promote personal development. Individuals are encouraged to join the weekly goal setting and accountability check-ins and join in regular community based social events when possible.