A CHARITY which gives help to people who suffer from drug or alcohol misuse is celebrating the dawn of a new era.
For Resolve has officially declared open new bespoke premises at Woodhall Community Centre in WGC.
The charity was originally set up in April 2008 – operating out of the Cole Green Lane venue, but able to offer just four-and-a-half hours of support a week.
It has grown and grown in that time though, and is now able to offer its services five days a week – and has now helped 140 people from the WGC and Hatfield area to cope with their addictions.
While staying in the same venue, Resolve has now moved into its own separate base, in what used to be the old post office. It includes a general meeting room, therapy rooms, and a purpose-built one-to-one counselling room.
Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps, the charity’s patron, cut the ribbon at a ceremony last Friday also attended by borough mayor Carl Storer and Hertfordshire High Sheriff Arabella Stuart-Smith.
Resolve admin manager Joe Heeney said: “If you had told me four years ago we would be now in our own premises, with full services, and the housing minister here to open it, I’d have said you were barking mad!”
Mr Heeney also paid tribute to the volunteers who help Resolve provide services ranging from hypnotherapy, acupuncture and drama therapy.
“I have nothing without my team, who all give up their time freely. We have no salaried staff,” he said.
Mr Heeney added Resolve was at “the limit of our potential” and appealed for anyone who could offer funding to come forward.
The charity will find out if it’s been successful in a bid for a lottery grant in September – but said in the meantime individuals or businesses could sponsor sessions for as little as £50.
“We’ve been within a month of closing before,” he said. “As things currently stand we have money in the bank – but we are not funded.”
n If you can help with funding, or want to find out more about what services Resolve offers, visit www.resolve-online.org