David Clark

Recovery is something done by the person with a substance use problem, not by a treatment practitioner. Treatment or engagement in mutual aid groups may facilitate recovery, but they do so by catalysing and supporting natural processes of recovery in the individual. A second feature of recovery from a serious substance...

By 2010, I was full of passion and enthusiasm, and wanting to set up a recovery group outside the treatment system. At the first Recovery Academy conference in Glasgow, I was totally inspired by Mark Gilman and his ideas, particularly around recovery, and the need for...

Ironically, it is recovery communities like NWRC that understand how to help people overcome such problems, and are helping people find connection: to other people, to their environment, and to themselves. They are not just doing that in their own recovery community, but also...

But the key to change, honestly, is that you have a healing environment that’s filled with people who see you. Who make you feel that you belong. Because what they then allow you to do, is that when you are in need of a regulatory interaction where somebody just is present, you can do that. When you’re in need of somebody...

I will add a blog post focused on NWRC in some way or other on every day of May.... Most of the posts will be one page summaries of various chapters from the book, including summaries of Recovery Stories chapters, I have written. Wulf and Sarah will also be contributing...

This marks a new chapter for Bwyd Da, and we are incredibly grateful for the continued support from Bangor BID, our investors, and the community. Together, we are building something even stronger—preserving everything that makes Bwyd Da special while securing its future for years to come.

'One important factor that contributed to my early recovery was the fact that I spent a good deal of time with people who were in the same boat as me, people who were also trying to overcome their drink problems. I could relate to the other patients, and we had a mutual...

The book is tentatively called 'Transforming Pain Into Power: Recovering From Addiction and Helping Communities Thrive'. It has involved Zoom conversations with 16 individuals; in the vast majority of cases, we have connected Perth (Western Australia) and North Wales on more than one occasion for each person.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has attempted to support us over the last few difficult weeks, our amazingly customer base who have supported us consistently over the past 3 years and to the remainder of our steering group partners, especially Gwynedd Council who know the truth behind the...

At a far more pragmatic level, for individuals in early recovery, trying to make changes, then just being with other individuals who have achieved a long period of recovery becomes inspirational and motivational. Recovery is contagious. The infectious positives of...

'I was invited by The National Lottery and Allwyn as one of their Game Changers to further participate in their 30th birthday celebrations and to meet Members of The Senedd to talk about what we're up to in Wrexham and the positive ripple effect we've been having across Wales for nearly 10 years.' Marcus Fair, Eternal Media Founder

Bwyd Da Bangor was never a conventional commercial enterprise. It was founded with the Health Board’s backing as a multi-functional social venture - promoting local food producers, supporting a food club, employing and training those in recovery, maintaining a food bank, and serving as a community hub.... Crucially, it was never meant to rely solely on commercial viability. A portion of its costs was always intended to be underwritten by the Health Board. That commitment was abandoned...

NWRC was approached and subsequently commissioned to establish and run the café, with the assurance that a package of support funding would be provided to sustain the venture in the long-term. This was on the basis of key advice and guidance provided by representatives of the Crisis Café on the original study visit, who highlighted...

I am really upset and angry that Bwyd Da Bangor, the ethically and environmentally sustainable café/restaurant run by North Wales Recovery Communities (NWRC) is being forced to close. I know that members of NWRC and staff and volunteers at Bwyd Da Bangor are not only very upset, but deeply frustrated. Let me explain.

When I find myself in a ‘down’ period, questioning my ability to tell the overall story in the powerful way I wish, my spirits are always lifted by viewing these films, listening to the moving words and music. I then once again feel so proud to be working in this field.