A BACP accredited service that specialises in supporting families affected by substance use is celebrating 25 years of changing lives.

Drugs, Alcohol and Psychotherapies Ltd (DAPL) marked its silver jubilee with an open morning at its headquarters in Fife in Scotland.

More than 100 people attended the get-together including members of staff, volunteers and local agencies. The event was also attended by DAPL’s patrons, charity worker Eleanor Bowman and actor Clive Russell, who stars in a documentary video marking the service’s 25th anniversary.

John Kennedy, area coordinator and accredited BACP counsellor, said: “There was a huge amount of pride in the work that DAPL has done over the last 25 years.

“The idea was to bring together all of the different agencies and partners that we work with on a day-to-day basis, education, local government, Barnardo’s.

“We don’t work in isolation. It was important to bring people together and allow them to make new connections.”

“It was a really good day.”

Community

DAPL was launched in 1994 following concern in the local community at the numbers of alcohol and drug-related deaths.

John said: “The people directly affected by these horrific incidents didn’t feel that they were being supported.

“They did some research and thought that what would best fit their needs was a counselling service. That came from the community and we have always held to counselling. The community asked for it and it’s what we have delivered.”

Since 1994, DAPL has received more than 18,000 referrals for adult counselling and more than 8,000 referrals for young person counselling.

Counselling

“We have always had a role, sadly,” said John. “And, sadly, our work is far from done.

“We are seeing a couple of hundred people a week across Fife – our service delivery is pretty intense.

“What’s hopeful is the work we have been doing over the last six years in talking to education and the local authority and others about the need for generic counselling beyond drug and alcohol, around things like anxiety, depression, self-harm, trauma.

“Talking therapy is higher on people’s agenda than it has ever been before, which is really positive.”