A number of community recovery cafes have been set up across North Perthshire to help people suffering from alcohol and drug addiction and mental health issues.
The three support groups in Aberfeldy, Blairgowrie and Pitlochry are led by people in recovery and are supported by staff and mentors from the Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) and NHS Tayside, as well as local volunteers.
Community support worker Audra Webster helped develop two of the support groups after becoming involved with the cafe in Aberfeldy.
Audra said: “The drop-in cafés provide a very relaxed and welcoming environment to support people to improve their wellbeing during recovery from substance use and mental health issues in rural areas of North Perthshire.
“From my role in the community I first became involved with the existing café in Aberfeldy which was looking for some support and we identified that there was a similar need for recovery cafés to be established in other areas of North Perthshire.
“We were delighted to be able to secure funding from the Perth & Kinross ADP to help develop the cafés, which allow people to access advice and support as close to their local community as possible, where previously they would have had to travel to Perth or other areas.”
She said the funding had helped pay for advertising, activities and the ongoing development of the groups.
The Courier revealed ongoing concerns regarding the severe lack of mental health services in rural Perthshire.
Last month health bosses acknowledged they needed to address the lack of support after a new report called for an internal investigation into the issue.
Independent Highland Perthshire councillor Xander McDade said it was “vitally important” that mental health provision in rural areas was tailored to the needs of those in the community.
He said: “There is currently a need to shift the balance of care from centralised services to more community based care.”
The Pitlochry Recovery Café launched its first drop-in on Thursday at the Atholl Centre and will now run every Thursday.
Breadalbane Recovery Café takes place every Wednesday from 2-4pm at Aberfeldy Parish Church and Strathmore Recovery Café takes place every Monday from 1-3pm at SCYD, Wellmeadow House in Blairgowrie.
