Social enterprise, Turning Point, is celebrating 60 years of supporting people with drug and alcohol or mental health issues and people with a learning disability.
The health and social care provider is calling for anyone who has worked with, or has been supported by the organisation to suggest an object to include in the exhibition ‘A History of Turning Point
in 60 Objects’ which will take place in the summer.
Established by London philanthropist Barry Richards as the Helping Hand Organisation, in 1964, with the first service the Camberwell Alcohol Project, the organisation took the name Turning Point in 1979.
It now supports over 171,000 people each year at its 283 services across the country.
Turning Point has been working in Manchester since 1972 when it opened the Richards House Alcohol Service.
Gill Campbell, who has been part of the Manchester health and social care system for nearly 30 years and is now head of nursing at Turning Point, said:
“For over 50 years, Turning Point has been supporting people’s recovery in Manchester from drug and alcohol issues, providing a safe haven for those with mental health struggles and supporting people
with learning disabilities to live independent and fulfilling lives.
“Our experienced staff combine their expertise with a compassionate approach to helping every single person that comes to our services. We have seen so many people’s lives transformed, and we look forward
to helping many more people in the future”.
Turning Point Smithfield, opened in 1993, is an inpatient detoxification service in Manchester city centre and has been supporting people like Andy recover from drug and alcohol dependency.
The purpose-built, 22-bed treatment unit provides psychosocial interventions alongside a range of medically managed drug and alcohol detoxifications in a clinically safe and supportive environment.
At Smithfield, there is an art room with walls filled with hundreds of personalised painted tiles created over the years by those who’ve entered detox and have used art and creativity to represent how they feel and share messages of hope and possibility to future people coming to stay at the centre.
Andy first walked through the doors of Smithfield in the summer of 2017. After being abstinent from all substances for seven years, he was struggling to find his place in the world and had relapsed,
“once again broken, and battered by addiction”.
At Smithfield, Andy says everything changed as nobody judged him as he found staff who understood what addiction was like, some from their own personal experiences.
Today, Andy has been free from all substances for over five years. And for the past four, he’s been part of the Smithfield team, working as a support worker.
“From the moment I got here, the staff at Smithfield were amazing. I got on well with all the other clients too. The place reignited my passion to work in addiction services. When I discovered that Turning Point offered the chance to become a peer mentor, that became my first goal for when I left detox,” said Andy.
“We’re like one big family. We pull together when times get tough and treat people with compassion, dignity, and respect. Now, I’m able to offer my hand to people who walk through our doors and let them know that everything is going to be okay, we’re going to look after you. The most important thing is we really do understand how our clients are feeling.”
Tiles created by service users at Smithfield will be one of 60 objects displayed in a week-long exhibition at Kensington Palace, in June, to mark 60 years of Turning Point. The exhibition will also be
displayed online.
Turning Point’s connection with the Royal Family goes back to the late princess Diana who was a patron from 1985 until 1996.
Each object represents the recovery journey of those who have been supported by Turning Point and others who have been impacted by the organisation in different ways.
They
provide an accessible and vital way to learn and share stories of hope and inspiration, while also marking the significant societal changes during sixty years of Turning Point.
The public are being asked to take part in this campaign, titled Turning Point 60: Finding hope in the most unexpected of places.
People can share their experience with Turning Point by submitting an object that reflects their story on the website
www.tp60.co.uk.
By sharing their stories, people can make a positive impact by giving others the courage and belief that they too can change their lives for the better.
Furthermore, insights from all the stories will be used to improve services at Turning Point and also be shared with influencers and policy makers to help make positive societal change.
Julie Bass, chief executive at Turning Point, said:
“Turning Point’s longevity speaks volumes for the level of service that every centre across the country provides to our clients.We would love to hear of the inspirational stories of the journeys that people have gone through over the last six decades – it is the reason why we continue to strive to be the best at what we do.The exhibition will be a highlight for everyone who has ever been associated with Turning Point.”
