A BLACKBURN drug and alcohol charity has been granted £90,000 to improve it’s facilities and enhance its range of programmes.

Public Health England has awarded the money to the THOMAS charity which works with ‘those on the margins of society’, to deliver a holistic recovery services.

The charity hopes to take people from within prison or hospital, through detox and residential rehabilitation into community-based provision.

All recovery-focused adult drug and alcohol treatment and support services across England were entitled to bid for a share of the Public Health England funding via local authorities and THOMAS drew up a bid for the money backed by Blackburn with Darwen council.

Rev Jim McCartney, executive director at THOMAS, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Blackburn with Darwen Council on the bid and to have been successful.”

The money will be spent on improving the charity’s buildings and facilities in France Street and their Witton Bank Residential Rehabilitation Project, a programme that supports people who have struggled to stay off drink or drugs due to social isolation, chaotic lifestyles, offending behaviour and poor general and mental health.

Any left over money will be spent on their ‘move-on’ programme – a housing project that helps people in recovery find accommodation and employment.

Coun Mohammed Khan, executive member for health and adult social care, said: “This funding will help THOMAS to further assist individuals at any stage of their addiction recovery.”