Addiction Counselling Inverness (ACI) needs new board members and funding to help continue its lifesaving work
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The charity has been running for 34 years, providing support and counselling for those struggling with drug, gambling and alcohol addiction.
It offers a range of both face to face and online appointments, having adapted to meet the needs of patients during lockdown.
Its efforts have helped improve family relationships and saved people’s livelihoods as well as their lives.
Along with 18 qualified volunteer counsellors the charity also works with three students on placement, making the centre a key training provider for the Inverness area.
Recently, the centre has been struggling to secure the funding necessary to help it to continue providing free support to those in need.
Secretary Dominic Thierry said: “This address offers warm, well appointed rooms with a team of fully qualified counsellors who offer one to one counselling regarding issues that arise as a consequence of unwanted drinking, drug taking and gambling behaviours. As with all such organisations we require willing individuals to act as independent board members.
“This would require only attendance at several board meetings a year, not an onerous requirement but one which is a legal necessity for us to continue operating as a charity.
“We would welcome enquiries from anyone who has an interest in our work, either through personal or family experience or recognises the importance of supporting local agencies such as ours.”
A recent evaluation of the charity’s work heard glowing reviews from those who had benefited from its services.
One client said: “I am very grateful for the time those at ACI gave to me and worry that my relationship and family would have broken down had it not been for the help and counselling I received.
“I feel like there is hope for mine and my family’s future now that we got the specialist help. This is fantastic that it was a free service too. I can’t thank ACI enough for what they have done for my family.”
Bernadette Cowan, business support officer, said: “What ACI offers is localised support for those struggling with addictive behaviours, benefitting the communities we sit at the heart of. For every person facing their personal journey of recovery, there are loved ones feeling the ripple effect of behaviours they often don’t understand and feel powerless to change.
“What makes ACI’s work so vital to our communities is the support we can also extend to those loved ones. We have seen the valuable contribution our family service has made, leading to positive outcomes for our clients and their families.”
To help support the charity or sign up to be a boardmember, go to the website.
