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Hebron AGM 2018CFOver 30 years of recovery and changed lives at Hebron

A five-month stay at Norwich based drug rehab Hebron House saved Kay’s life. The charity wants to raise more money so more women like Kay can experience freedom from drugs and alcohol and learn to live again.

Helen Baldry reports.
 


Hebron House is a safe place for women suffering from past trauma, abuse, homelessness and addiction to break free, heal and learn to live again.
Hebron Trust’s AGM was held on December 6 and it was a chance to hear from Kay, who has recently been supported by the charity.

Kay spoke about her experience as a resident at Hebron House. She had been involved in substance misuse for ten years and was so weak and broken that she was told she had about five weeks to live. A funded place would have taken several months to organise so Kay’s parents paid for her treatment at Hebron.

Kay said, “When I arrived, I was so scared. It was a big house and I didn’t know anybody.” The structured days at Hebron helped Kay to settle. Having a bedtime was abnormal for her at first, as was the routine of eating. Kay was given a programme of where she needed to be each day which helped her to realign her chaotic lifestyle into an more ordered one.

Hebron House was a place of freedom for Kay and she learnt to trust people again. She said, “There was no pressure to have a mask on. You could talk freely to any of the girls, any of the staff. There was no pressure.”

“The thing I always remember is that you are treated as a human being. You start to feel your worth.” Kay describes the time she spent at Hebron House as ‘being reborn’. She thought being watched by drug gangs when she went outside was normal. Kay started looking after her appearance – something she didn’t do when she was addicted to drugs. She said, “To see the pride on my dad’s face was lovely.”

Kay was determined to stay off drugs when she left Hebron House. She did two courses with The Matthew Project and now she is starting a year’s internship with the charity. She said, “A year ago I was nearly dying. Now I am able to help people. What a turnaround in my life!”

Manager Emma Pawsey said that the charity is going from strength to strength and the house is always full, as is Chapel House, the move-on facility. The staff team took part in several fundraising challenge earlier this year, including the ‘Hebron to Hebron’ challenge, a craft fair and a jumble sale. The team’s fundraising efforts, which were over and above the incredible work they do in their jobs at Hebron House, enabled them to present  a cheque for an incredible £21k to the treasurer at the AGM. Emma described them as “the most dedicated and amazing team”.
 

New fundraising campaign

It costs £1,000 per week per resident at Hebron House and the charity wants to commit to continue supporting women in the future. With the help of Eye Media they have created three short, impactful films which explain what Hebron Trust does and encouraged people to support the charity so more women in addiction can be set free. The films will be available online soon.

Pictured above: the money the staff team have raised in 2018.


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