June 19, 2018
Bray Community Addiction Team’s Post Card Garden
Bray Community Addiction Team’s Post Card Garden
Wins
Certificate of Distinction at Bloom 2018
Bray Community Addiction Team (BCAT) was established in 2002 through the Bray Local Drugs Task Force (BLDTF)’s Action Plan.BCAT is located in two sides of Bray so as to serve the two communities most affected by the problems associated with drugs/alcohol misuse.BCAT has evolved since inception and provides services to individuals, families and the wider community, who are experiencing drug/alcohol problems.BCAT views drug/alcohol problems from the bio-psychosocial perspective and provides services to people along the continuum of care from harm reduction services to drug free options.
The aims and objectives of the service are as follows:
To enable service users to identify their needs and to respond with appropriate services
To build and maintain collaborative working relationships with voluntary, community and statutory sectors.
To raise awareness of BCAT within the community
To maintain models of best practice and to respond to changing needs through ongoing research, education, training and evaluation.
To promote a positive working environment by recognizing staff contribution
Objectives
To provide open access low threshold evidence based services to people in Bray affected by drug and/or alcohol problems
To deliver evidence based interventions to the target group in a one to one and group To vide outreach services to people with drug/alcohol problems
To provide addiction support to people in prison for drug/alcohol related crime
To provide addiction/integration support to people on release from prison
To provide evidence based interventions on a one to one and group setting to people experiencing homelessness
To provide evidence based interventions on a one to one and group setting to family members affected by their relative’s drug/alcohol use
To raise awareness/educate the local community on drug/alcohol related issues
To work in partnership with local key stakeholders to improve outcomes for mutual client group or any other external parties that will enable us to improve our quality and range of services
Services Provided
To drug/alcohol services users
Drop In – Dublin Road Monday to Saturday – access to low threshold harm reduction services (food, shower, laundry facilities, crisis interventions)
Drop In – Boghall Road – Friday – access to food/laundry/crisis intervention
Needle Exchange: Boghall Road, Daily (9-5)
Rapid Intake: Daily in Boghall Road and Little Bray
Key-working: Daily in Boghall Road and Little Bray
Outreach: Bray Town Centre (Tuesday and Friday Mornings. Wednesday pm)
Home Visits/Hospital visits etc – on a needs basis
Mutual Aid: SMART Recovery (Tuesday evenings. Mixed and Women’s Groups)
Service provided – Communities of interest
Family support general: - one to one support; CRAFT programme Tuesday evening
Prison Links and Community Service Programme (funded through Dept of Justice)
Under 18s key working – Tuesday (Boghall Road, Thursday Boghall Road and Wednesday afternoons Little Bray
Cocaine Anonymous meeting held on site (Saturday 7pm commenced September 2017)
Bray Community Addiction Team can be contacted at 012764692 or for further information www.bcat.ie
A local man Dermot Davis, who has an interest in horticulture, approached BCAT to design, create and present a “Post Card Garden” at Bloom 2018. He wanted to illustrate the supports that a person can received from BCAT which will support them to recover from addiction, change their lives and move on to a better future. Dermot’s garden won a Certificate of Distinction in the Post Card Garden category.
The Title of the garden
Living with Heart
Theme of the Garden
Breaking free from addictions brings freedom, self-worth and hope of a better future.
The primary message of the garden
It's an idea portrayed through an illustrative design of a person's struggle trying to break away from the jaws of addiction and despair. And once that person has committed oneself to seek help, gain acceptance and take guidance, a life of self-worth, loving oneself and hope of a better future is within their grasp.
The garden illustrates both a garden and a HOME. As very often addiction leads to homelessness.
The living canopy reflects a roof, a space of shelter.
Other elements, like the shower and the fireplace is in theme with a Homely living space.
A large acorn seed to symbolise strength and potential.
My horizontal lines to represent calmness and tranquillity. Vertical lines to represent grandeur(front door, a home)
Curved lines to represent nature and a feeling of smoothness.
The design is both modern and contemporary.
Note to editors:
For more information about this press release, contact:
Elaine Forsyth
Manager
Bray Community Addiction Team
01-2764692
