Fife charity which helps people overcome substance abuse highly commended

Rt Rev Dr Iain Greenshields said support provided by Restoration Fife have helped hundreds of people turn their lives around and give them renewed purpose and hope for the future.

The charity,a lived experience recovery organisation, was established in 2011 and hosts weekly drop-in cafes at St Margaret’s Community Church, Dunfermline, Buckhaven and Glenrothes, as well as a range of other activities around Fife.

Dr Greenshields attended a reception at St Margaret’s last week to celebrate the ongoing success of the social activities community organisation.

The charity offers “safe spaces” for people to go and connect with their peers, and around 300 adults at varying stages in their journey towards recovery are currently benefiting from the its diverse range of activities, which are also open to family members, including children, to help reduce isolation and loneliness.

Staff help people navigate everyday life tasks, learn new skills, improve their social networks and provide opportunities to try new activities.

They reduce drug related harm as well as signposting people to a wide range of services, including foodbanks and mental health support.

Dr Greenshields said: “I am proud to support this charity which brings together people from diverse backgrounds in order to build a recovery community and meaningful friendships.

“It has united around the noble cause of restoring people to a life free from addiction and do fantastic, inspirational work that makes a real difference.”

Dr Greenshields, who has taken a leave of absence from his role as minister of St Margaret’s Community Church to serve as Moderator for 12 months, called on churches across the country to “open their doors and minds” to the needs of people in their parishes who desperately want to overcome addiction and get their lives back on track.

Shanana Beattie, who is stepping down as chair of Restoration’s board of trustees, spoke about its history which can be traced back to a £250 grant awarded by a Drug and Alcohol working group to organise addiction recovery events similar to what was being provided in Edinburgh and Glasgow at the time.

Fife’s expansive geography and community types meant that what worked in cities was not suitable and a bespoke service was designed.

Nicola Turner, administrative co-ordinator at Restoration Fife, said: “The event at St Margaret’s Community Church was fantastic. It was such a good atmosphere, a real celebration and there was a lot of love in the room.”

Official figures show there were 797 suspected drug deaths in Scotland between July and September, 2022.

It was reported the year before that an estimated 2,900 people in Fife require support to access treatment and recovery from substance use.

Ms Turner said the charity’s services are needed more so than ever as many people were struggling due to the cost of living crisis and needed as much help to overcome their health problems as possible.

Dr Greenshields’ son, Alistair, is a member of the Restoration Fife Board and will soon take up the post of chair.