I arrive in Bangor on Monday, 22 April 2024 and begin my stay in Tregarth with Wulf and Melanie Livingston. On the following day, I visit Eternal Media in Wrexham, where I meet its Founder Marcus Fair and his colleague Lucke Gabriel. I participate in a recovery podcast. On Wednesday, Wulf and I visit Growing for Change, NWRC’s Organic Market Garden based in Moelyci Farm, Tregarth. I am shown around the allotments and poly tunnels by Paul Gordon-Roberts, who leads the initiative, and Sarah Flynn.
On Thursday, I have an interesting morning at Penrhyn House with Housing Manager Kevin Morris and Duty Officer Bradley Morgan. In the afternoon, I do a workshop with community members on trauma and healing. Members of my audience say that the talks helped them understand their own traumatic experiences, as well as their personal recovery. In the break, we have great fun Shaking and Dancing, an Expressive Meditation from The Centre for Mind Body Medicine in the US, which helps people shed stress and tension.
On the Friday, I take a walk with Wendy Dossett, an Emeritus Professor of the University of Chester, in the hills above Gwydir Forest. Wendy, an impressive researcher and recovery advocate, is in long-term recovery.
James Deakin has organised an ‘Evening with David Clark’ on Friday evening at Bwyd Da Bangor. Tasty canapés are provided prior to my first talk, which is focused on addiction recovery and My Journey From Brain Chemicals to Human Connection, to an audience of around 30 people. We then have a gorgeous dinner cooked by chef and restaurant manager Jason Hughes and his staff. The meal is outstanding.
During the dinner break, I spend time visiting the tables and meeting people. I then talk about the Aboriginal Child Artists of Carrolup, a trauma healing story from Western Australia which I had researched and written a book about. My talks are filmed by Marcus Fair of Eternal Media, which is really great. I also wander around with my phone during the break and film some of my audience. I feel really emotional giving the talks and I am really pleased with the feedback I receive. And I have an awful lot of hugs… that’s very special!
Wulf and I drive to Llanberis in Snowdonia on Sunday and meet up with Rob Havelock of Sober Snowdonia, and eight other NWRC members, plus Alex’s dog Auggie. We head off to do the Moel Eilio circular walk, which apparently has the best views of any of the Snowdonia peaks. The scenery was simply stunning.
The climb up is tiring at times, but the real challenge is the steep downhill parts. Whilst my calves withstand the challenges of the uphill parts, my quads suffer a bit going downhill. The conversation I have with my walking colleagues, all in recovery from addiction but Wulf, is stimulating, enjoyable, fun (lots of laughs) and inspiring. Once again, I realise that I learn more about life from people who have come through the adversity of addiction than from ‘normies’. I even manage to film six short shares.
On Monday, Wulf and I conduct a focus group with NWRC members concerned with finding out: (1) what factors at Penrhyn House most benefit members’ recovery journeys, and (2) in what way did these factors impact on the person? I then spend time with community members and interview Saffron and Marc.
I leave on Tuesday after a very tasty breakfast and interesting discussion with James at Bwyd Da Bangor. After leaving, I receive the following message from Alex. ‘You have no idea the impact you have made on all the guys.’ I am brought to tears. NWRC members, you have no idea of the impact you had on me!
