For The Right Reasons Print/Charity Shop

At For The Right Reasons we run a print and publishing social enterprise alongside a charity shop so that we can support people in Merkinch who have had the courage to free themselves from Drug or Alcohol addiction.

For the right reasons charity
Description
Who are we?

‘For the Right Reasons’ is a charity registered in Scotland (SC037781). We work in Merkinch, which is an area of Inverness that is one of the most deprived in Scotland. Over 40% of the working age population are unemployed and 10% of the whole population are on incapacity benefit or disability living allowance.

What are our aims?

Our purpose is to help people who want to conquer their drug or alcohol dependency by giving them unconditional, un-judgemental support and friendship throughout the whole process from the time they make the personal commitment to get clean or dry, to the day they can re-integrate with society. We work with other agencies to change peoples’ lives.

We do this ‘for the right reasons’ - and not for personal gain or kudos or power, but out of a genuine desire to help sick people get well.

Why do we restrict our work to Merkinch?

Merkinch is an area of a few square miles with a population of just over 4, 000. There are around 300 people dependent on alcohol and about 150 dependent on opiates. A growing number of these are teenagers. Based on Scottish Government figures, the social cost in the area of these addictions is about £8, 000, 000. This is the cost to individuals, families the community and the government in terms of community suffering, social security, crime and healthcare. We make a positive impact on the lives of people we know.

How did we start?

Our founders, Simon Harrison, a local GP and Richard Burkitt, an Episcopal Minister, are keen cricketers. At a match in the summer of 2006, the team’s fast bowler failed to turn up and on enquiring, they learned that he was probably out hunting for heroin. Shocked, they determined there and then to do something about it. For the Right Reasons grew from this and was registered as a charity in February 2007. In April 2007 we opened a charity shop in Merkinch and recruited a Project Manager, Geoff Gibson, himself recovered from drug and alcohol addiction.

What have we achieved?

In February 2008, we were award a Lottery grant to expand our services. As a result, as well as our Project Manager, Geoff Gibson, Richard Burkitt is now Project Director and we have a Drug Support Coordinator, Steph Summana plus around 12 regular volunteers. Many of the people who work with us have themselves recovered from drug or alcohol addiction, some with our help. (See our news page for latest figures on people we have helped. )

On interesting side effect of what we are doing is its impact on the community. To date we have brought 3 unused properties into use on Merkinch’s main shopping street. Merkinch has a high unemployment and more and more people who do not have addiction problems are coming forward to help our charity shop is becoming a social centre for older inhabitants who meet there regularly to pass the time of day.

We are still growing and have much work to do. We need your help to do this. Our Lottery grant covers about half our budget and we need to raise substantial additional funds in order to continue with our work.

Please go to our donations page if you want to support us.

HELP US FIGHT FOR FREEDOM FROM OPIATES AND ALCOHOL - MAKE A DONATION TODAY
THANKYOU