Leamington’s ESH to set up Warwickshire’s first ‘clean house’ for addicts

Will Johnston, commissioning manager for substance misuse in Warwickshire, confirms the grant to ESH Works chief executive Paul Urmston.

ESH (Experience, Strength and Hope) Works, which is run from its Althorpe Street office by staff and volunteers who have mostly had problems with substance misuse themselves, has been awarded £155,000 by the Government-run Public Health England to set up Warwickshire’s first ‘clean house’.

The social enterprise was one of 67 organisations to receive a share of £10 million going towards establishing recovering communities across the UK.

ESH’s chief executive Paul Urmston said: “The idea is that people will be able to ‘get straight’. Anyone found using or bringing drugs or alcohol into the house will be asked to leave.”

ESH is looking for a house in Leamington where four people can live for up to 12 weeks at a time, with each person having their own bedroom and receiving one-to-one mentoring and counselling. The aim is for clients to be able to live in mainstream housing after their time in the clean house.

Mr Urmston said: “Almost all our staff and volunteers have had substance misuse problems themselves. That’s very important because they have the experience and understanding that’s needed. There is an a direct affinity and trust with the client.

“We have been working towards this clean house since we set up four years ago. It’s fantastic to see the Government actively supporting recovery communities and endorsing the philosophy that the power of one addict helping another is without parallel in a person’s recovery.”

To find out more about ESH, visit www.eshworks.org