CrossReach, the social care arm of the Church of Scotland, has officially opened a latest residential rehabilitation unit in Inverness, extending vital support to people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction across the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
The latest six-bed facility, Nevis House, will provide as much as 22 placements every year, constructing on the long-established work of neighbouring Beechwood House, which has supported addiction recovery since 1991.
Together, the 2 services will now cater not only to Highland residents but additionally to those from Moray, the Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland.
The development forms a part of the Scottish Government’s £100 million investment into residential rehabilitation under its National Mission on drug deaths.
More than £38 million of that funding has been directed towards projects like Nevis House to extend recovery capability nationwide.
Speaking on the opening, Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy, praised the expansion: “Expanding residential rehab capability is central to our National Mission on drugs and I’m grateful to all those that have worked hard to supply this extra service.”
Having grown up around addiction herself, Todd spoke candidly about her personal experience of living in a household where alcohol misuse was present.
Meeting with residents, she listened to their concerns concerning the stigma that always surrounds addiction and shared reflections on her own journey before entering politics.
She said that she had witnessed “people within the depth of despair” who were being “loved and valued” at Nevis House.
A trained pharmacist, Todd spent 20 years working for NHS Highland, predominantly in a psychiatric hospital, before moving into public life.
Drawing on each her skilled and private background, she expressed determination to handle issues reminiscent of alcohol promoting geared toward minors, the pressures faced by those in recovery, and the growing influence of social media promoting.
Residents and volunteers shared powerful testimonies.
One volunteer, Maggie, said: “Miracles have happened, my life has modified unbelievably and CrossReach has given me such an excellent opportunity. There’s no magic wand, you could have to work at it but I need to assist others now.”
Nevis House will significantly boost capability within the Highlands, an area where remoteness often makes access to treatment difficult.
The latest service is designed not only to supply a secure environment for detox and recovery but additionally to supply ongoing outreach and community support, ensuring individuals remain connected beyond their initial residential stay.
CrossReach Chief Executive Viv Dickenson welcomed the expansion: “We are delighted that Nevis House has now opened in Inverness and are grateful to the Scottish Government for the investment and support from the Alcohol and Drug Partnerships in Highland, Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland, that has made this possible.
“The centre will allow the expansion of the work of CrossReach in these areas to permit greater capability in our residential recovery services enabling a quicker response when people come forward for help.”
The former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, visited Beechwood House last November and spoke concerning the importance of the Church supporting such services.
“They do a improbable job here, however the message just isn’t getting out. What they do here is being within the Church’s name, but we do not shout about it,” he said.
“It really is really remarkable, hearing the stories of the individuals who have been through the service. One chap reconnected together with his son after coming to Beechwood House and one other was in a position to reconnect together with his grandson. Lives are being modified and never just the lives of the residents.”
Alongside Beechwood and Nevis Houses, CrossReach operates a network of facilities across Scotland, including services for families, children, those affected by dementia, and other people without secure housing.
As one resident summed up the impact during Dr Paterson’s visit to Beechwood House: “Prison doesn’t assist you to. There are more drugs in jail than there are on the road.”
She successfully accomplished the 14-week programme at Beechwood House and later trained as a volunteer supporter.
Another resident who described herself as “now clean and serene” spoke of the transformation she experienced: “I’ve given up alcohol and allowed God into me and it has been miracle after miracle.”
The opening of Nevis House couldn’t come soon enough as one resident at Beechwood House told Dr Paterson during his 2024 visit that more rehabilitation resources and medical staff were urgently needed.
“Loads of persons are dying from the dearth of help, the lack of information,” he said.
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