Drug & alcohol support in Middlesbrough
Welcome to your recovery community
The hub of our community recovery activities is Bedford House, just off Linthorpe Road, close to the centre of Middlesbrough. Recovery Connections began as Heart North East, in 2008, not far from here, and is now a long-established source of support for hundreds of local people and families.
Providing Lived Experience Recovery support, for those affected by drugs and alcohol, many of our current staff first came into contact with the charity via the local Recovery Connections rehab, or town centre Community building. Everyone who visits us will receive a warm welcome, compassionate support, and a friendly introduction to your recovery community.
It’s absolutely natural to be apprehensive, when contacting us for the first time. But with more than 90% of our staff in recovery from addiction themselves, you will meet people who understand exactly what you’re going through.
Supporting your recovery
There are an abundance of ways for you to engage with our recovery community, but you will not be asked to get involved with anything you don’t feel comfortable with. Your recovery journey is yours to choose. Your goals may be to reduce your consumption, or strive for abstinence. You may wish to reconnect with yourself and others, or discover a new purpose. Whatever your personal goals are, our coaches, activities and different programmes are here to support you.
- Recovery Community
- Rehab Pathway
- Sober Socials
- IPS Employment
- Volunteering Opportunities
- Community Allotment
- Ambassadors Programme
- Harm Minimisation
- Building Recovery in Middlesbrough
- Social Enterprises
- Trauma Therapy
Your journey starts here
Inside our community building in Bedford Street you’ll find the help and support of people who want to see you thrive. Guided by our peer-led team of coaches and managers, you’ll have access to everything from one-to-one meetings, to team building activities, to employment support, and more. With close links to other clinical and recovery services, access to a wide range of facilities, programmes, and opportunities, you’ll be in the ideal place to learn about recovery, and put new knowledge and skills into practice.
Get in touch
It is a safe place to learn, share, and grow, alongside dedicated Lived Experience Recovery staff, ambassadors & volunteers. In 2024, 500+ people were supported on their recovery journey across our communities in the South Tees area. Our Volunteers and Ambassadors completed more than 4000 hours. Across our recovery support in Middlesbrough and the South Tees area, there is more than 200 years of recovery from addiction.
You can self refer for drugs and alcohol support in Middlesbrough, via the details below, or clicking Contact Us.
Meet your local Community Manager
Check out our community timetable to see what's happening in Middlesbrough!
Keep up to date with what’s going on in Middlesbrough. Click on the images to download a copy to your device. You will see female and male specific groups, events in our Bedford House building (yellow), and plenty of other activities taking place offsite (in grey).
How do I get started with recovery support in Middlebrough?
At RC Middlesbrough, you can be referred through Recovery Solutions, other agencies, or by self-referral.
If you are currently using drugs or alcohol in a problematic way, we will direct you to Recovery Solutions (Live Well East) for a Tier 3 Assessment (Structured Treatment).
If you have not used drugs or alcohol problematically in the last 28 days, you can complete a Tier 2 Admissions Form, which includes a consent form, to join our Recovery Community.
Recreational or occasional users of cannabis and alcohol can also access support through this process.
Once we have established contact, you will be invited to Bedford House, Connections Community Café, or the Allotment for an introduction to Recovery Connections. Here, we will explain our Code of Conduct and review the timetable to help you choose which groups to attend. We will also discuss mutual aid and fellowship groups.
Once you begin engaging with our community, we will open a placement for you and begin the initial Coaching Sessions.
We’ll introduce the concept of Recovery Capital, help you complete your first assessment, and work with you to identify your recovery priorities.
Referrals can also be made to other services or agencies, depending on your needs.
Funders, Awards and Accreditations
