Bristol Recovery Festival celebrates tenth anniversary

Polly Bladon, Louisa Chowen, Liz Gaskin and Sara Sanders work as part of Bristol's Alcohol and Drug Treatment Service

A festival which recognises the achievements of people recovering from drug, alcohol and other addictions is celebrating its tenth anniversary.

The Recovery Festival is a free family event held in Bristol at the Trinity Centre in Old Market.

Musicians and speakers, many who have struggled with addiction themselves, are set to perform later.

Visitors can listen to stories of people in recovery and explore what help is on offer to those who need it.

The festival has an outdoor stage hosted by Not Saints and Bristol Sober Spaces, with a line-up of bands, solo artists and DJs, as well as recovery community music and drama groups.

Jade, from Bristol, who is on the organising committee, told BBC Radio Bristol how attending the festival had given her hope.

"Although Bristol's not massive, there were people there that I hadn't seen for years from my addiction that I presumed were dead, because I hadn't seem them. They had disappeared.

"But actually what they had done was gone and got clean, and now we're living a great life," she said.

Although Jade has been clean for several years, she said her recovery took several attempts.

"[It got] really bad. I lost custody of my eldest son, lost jobs, a business, the house that I lived in. [I had] no contact with any of my family for about five years," she added.

The festival has grown in size since its launch in 2013

Among the festival performers is actor Paul Danan, who set up the Morning After Drama group.

"This festival celebrates the unity of recovery. It's about reaching out, asking for help and getting a connection," said Mr Danan.

"People in recovery are so talented and when we're in addiction, or in our mental illness, it's so stunted," he added.

MC Phil Mac said the event helps visitors connect with like-minded people through music.

"You're not alone in your struggle and you can get support and the recovery festival really celebrates that," he added.