Sheffield Hallam provides peddle power for recovery bike ride

16th September 2016

Sheffield Hallam University has wheeled in more than 100 bikes for one of the main events of National Recovery Month.

National Recovery Month brings together thousands of people affected by substance misuse every September through a series of events. Every September, DACT (Sheffield Drug & Alcohol Coordination Team) sponsors Recovery Month to increase awareness and understanding of substance use disorders, while also spreading the message that help is available and celebrating the people who recover. One of the highlight events - the Ride for Recovery bike ride around Derwent Dam - attracted more than 100 people, including service users, staff and stakeholders from drug and alcohol recovery services across the city. Sheffield Hallam University provided the bikes for the ride through its department of law and criminology, a leading international centre for research and policy movement around recovery from alcohol and drug problems, led by Professor David Best. Dr Jamie Irving, senior lecturer in criminology at Sheffield Hallam University, said: "National Recovery Month provides the platform for recovering communities to get together and share their personal experiences, all within a safe space and focused on lots of really interesting events. "We work very closely with the region's key stakeholders involved in drug and alcohol recovery through our applied research and training, so it's fantastic to be involved with the Ride for Recovery to help raise awareness of substance use disorders. Events like these help reduce stigma by showing the public that people can and do recover from addiction." Tracy Ford, lead community officer at Sheffield DACT, said: "Our thanks again to Professor Best and colleagues at Sheffield Hallam University for funding the bike hire and giving the opportunity to over 100 people from the local recovery community to come together and celebrate being in recovery from addiction. "Promoting healthy lifestyles, such as exercise, is a key step on the recovery journey." For more information about activities in Sheffield for National Recovery Month visit the Sheffield DACT website.