Newcastle is set to host the 2020 UK Recovery Walk, showing a push from the city to lose its previous brand of being a ‘party city’.
The Recovery Walk is an annual event that allows those in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction to show solidarity towards those suffering and to raise awareness for the ongoing problems that these people face. It also provides those in recovery, their families and friends with the opportunity to share their stories and prove that long-term recovery is possible and indeed a reality.
Organised by FAVOR (Faces and Voices of Recovery) UK, the walk, which is to be held in September 2020, is part of International Recovery Month and is a public education and outreach campaign. The walk will begin at Exhibition Park and go through the main city centre. The route is designed to show off Newcastle to those involved, but equally it will show to Newcastle the strength of the recovery community.
The Manchester 2014 Recovery Walk
Image: FAVOR
Newcastle was voted to be the city hosting this walk after 54% of the public voted for Newcastle to host it over Huddersfield; but why was Newcastle chosen?
In the city’s bid to gain autonomy over the 2020 walk, the Director of New Public Health at Newcastle, Professor Eugene Milne, said that it would help the city in “moving from its ‘party town’ image to embrace a much wider range of activities”. The walk is thus showing a side of Newcastle that is often overlooked: its commitment to helping the vulnerable people within its city.
The Manchester 2014 Recovery Walk
Image: FAVOR
The walk will enable people in recovery to interact with a community of people also suffering from addictions, and it ultimately will spread awareness of the problem of addiction in our city today.
