The Recovery Village - working together to beat addiction

Available for over a year

Deaths from alcohol and drugs in the UK are at an all-time high. And the latest big report on drug recovery found services not fit for purpose. But in Birkenhead, on the Wirral - a community that has its share of drug and alcohol problems - they’ve come up with an idea. It's called a 'Recovery Village', which means all of the many addiction and recovery services based in the town centre are working in close cooperation and providing joined-up care for those who are desperately trying to rebuild their lives. In what’s being described as a “game changing moment”, the treatment of drug and alcohol abuse across England is to receive its biggest single investment in decades as the first money in a 780 million pound support package is released to local authorities. BBC reporter, Jeremy Cooke, has been visiting Mike for the past year. Mike is 28 - a young man with big problems - trying to break free from the grip of cocaine and alcohol. For 5 Minutes On, Jeremy and Mike chat about how the Recovery Village has been a lifesaver. Image Credit: BBC News