Speaker Meeting, 6.15 for 6.30pm

Captain Martyn Watson, on the left of the picture, is the former chaplain at the Salvation Army’s Gloucester House Rehabilitation Centre in Highworth. With him was the Centre’s current chaplain, Alan Baldwin.

Martyn said: “With heart to God and hand to man the Centre aims to inspire its clients to embrace on-going change and to build a new life free from addiction.”

To have a Rehab Centre in the middle of town is unusual but that’s where Gloucester House is, on Highworth’s High Street. Initially, said Martyn, Highworth residents were somewhat apprehensive of this new addition to their town but over the years they have come to embrace it. Not only embrace it but many of them make regular donations or raise money for it by means of various fund-raising schemes.

The Centre has capacity for up to 13, men who have become addicted, whether it is to drugs, alcohol or anything else that has brought them to a rock-bottom life. The 12-week rehab course costs the Centre £700 per week per person. It involves a lot of hard thinking, a lot of activities and other things such as a weekly jam session (music not confectionary). One man was heard to say “I’ve never sung before, at least not when I was sober.”

After the course, some men move on towards employment, a few remain in the House as volunteers and some even become staff members. Those wanting to return to work are advised to do voluntary work for a time rather than go straight into paid employment. The Chaplain keeps in contact with them after they leave, but doesn’t do so if they don’t want him to.

On behalf of the members present JVP Kathy Hobson thanked Martyn and Alan for their interesting and thought-provoking presentation.

Gloucester House website