The people in recovery making music together

Hannah Cairns is a peer mentor with Turning Point, using her own recovery experience to support others

The Station House at Darsham in Suffolk is full of music.

Six or so people are gathered in a living room with an assortment of guitars, a steady beat from a box-drum, a xylophone on a table (that sadly no one ends up playing)... and Hannah Cairns, belting out "I'm gonna prescribe myself happiness".

The connection between everyone is recovery from alcohol, drugs or mental health challenges, and using music as a way to navigate it.

"Producing music is the light at the end of the tunnel for me, because I've had a hell of a two-year ride in recovery, chronic illness and depression," says Hannah.

The seven weekly workshops in Darsham - on the trainline between Ipswich and Lowestoft - have been run by Music Prescription CIC and the support service Turning Point, with funding from Suffolk County Council.

They have been leading up to the annual Recovery's Got Talent showcase, held in Bury St Edmunds on Saturday 11 October, a focal point for Suffolk's recovery community

Hannah wrote Prescription for Happiness

Back to the living room, and Hannah's running through her song again; a powerful, emotive voice, but delivering a slightly different version each time.

"Everyone brings their own unique character, and we do have a laugh," she said.

"We've got a clown, we've got a sensible one, we've got me, who's got ADHD and is all over the place and can't sing the same thing twice!

"I haven't been depressed for the last two weeks of coming here, so it says it all really.

"And whilst being creative, writing your lyrics down, you're processing your own emotions, and some come to the surface that you don't even know were there.

"We all shine in our separate little ways, and when we get together, it is like a magic thing that happens, and we can be creative, we can fight the stigma because there's a lot of that about still unfortunately."

Darryl Cook, chair of Suffolk Sober Spaces, says having strong community support is important after people are discharged from formal recovery services

The workshops complement the monthly sober open mic nights run by volunteers in Ipswich and Lowestoft.

Darryl Cook, chair of Suffolk Sober Spaces, said: "[Open mic nights are] primarily designed as the last outpost of recovery, for when people have been successful with services, they've been discharged, and then they have this support community that they are a part of.

"It's wonderful to see people come through this process and grow in confidence and self-worth as a result of finding themselves again."

Tim Ainslie (left) the founder of Music Prescription CIC, with the team rehearsing for Recovery's Got Talent at the Station House in Darsham

Recovery's Got Talent 2025 is Saturday 11 October, 5-9pm at King Edwards School, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3BH.

Lowestoft Sober Spaces is the last Friday of the month, 6-10pm, at The Olive Centre, NR32 1QS.

Ipswich Sober Mic is the first Sunday of every month, 3-5pm, The Royal Oak (Emmaus), IP3 8EB.