Drug agency in lottery windfall

The charity helps people with drug and alcohol problems

A charity that supports people with alcohol and drug problems has been awarded a £665,000 windfall.

Alcohol and Drug Support South-West Scotland will use the money over the next five years to develop its "befriending and peer support project".

The Castle Douglas based charity was awarded £620,000 by the Big Lottery Fund, with a further £45,000 from the Robertson Trust.

The charity uses trained volunteers to befriend drug and alcohol abusers.

Many of the organisation's volunteers move on to paid employment within the drug and alcohol support industry.

The agency's chief executive, Dr Angela Roberts, said the grants were a tribute to the hard work put in by its staff and volunteers.

'Very positive step'

She added: "I pay tribute to those millions of people who purchase their lottery tickets regularly and make such an award possible.

"Without them, we and many other local voluntary sector organisations, would be certainly be pushed for funding such projects that positively help communities."

Mike McLurg, the chairman of ADS, added: "Dumfries and Galloway has more than its fair share of problems with both alcohol misuse and drug misuse that affects many, many families in a very adverse way.

"Only recently, official figures published by the Scottish Executive highlighted that the number of deaths through liver problems related to alcohol had trebled and most of us across this region are well aware of the negative community issues around drug misuse.

"This award will be a very positive step in supporting individuals and families affected through substance misuse. Through working along with other partner agencies in the region I believe the Big Lottery award will go some way to addressing these issues of often great public concern."

Alcohol and Drug Support South West Scotland was formed in 2002, having previously been the Dumfries and Galloway Council for Alcohol.

The agency has offices across the region in Dumfries, Castle Douglas and Stranraer and presently employs 25 people and 50 volunteers.