Expanding Recovery Support in Essex: The Staying Stopped Programme Now Available
Created by Tony Adams - former England and Arsenal captain whose own recovery journey has inspired thousands - The Staying Stopped Programme is now available to local residents through a new partnership with Essex Recovery Foundation.
This marks an important step forward in expanding meaningful, long-term recovery support across Essex.
Because recovery isn’t just about stopping. It’s about staying stopped—especially when life gets difficult.
For many, those early days of sobriety can feel overwhelming. The noise of old habits, the weight of emotions, the fear of doing it alone. Too often, people fall through the gap between treatment and real life.
The Staying Stopped Programme exists to bridge that gap.
Walking Alongside People—Not Just Treating Them
This is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s a programme built around people, not processes.
Combining professional therapy with the power of lived experience, The Staying Stopped Programme offers something deeply human: connection, understanding, and consistent support when it matters most.
Participants are met with:
· Daily contact from a lived experienced mentor who has had the same journey
· Weekly one-to-one therapy to gently unpack the “why” behind addiction
· A supportive recovery community that replaces isolation with belonging
· Guidance through the “90 meetings in 90 days” journey—helping build routine, resilience, and hope
· Continued aftercare, because recovery doesn’t end after a programme—it begins there
This is about more than sobriety. It’s about rebuilding lives, restoring relationships, and rediscovering a sense of purpose.
Making Recovery Possible for More People
We believe recovery should be accessible—not just for those who can afford it, but for those who need it most.
Through this partnership, we are able to offer limited funded places for individuals in Essex. Every application is considered on a case-by-case basis, recognising that each person’s story, and each path to recovery, is different.
Hope, Backed by Action
At its heart, this partnership is about hope—but not the kind that sits still. The kind that shows up. The kind that walks alongside you. The kind that says: you don’t have to do this alone anymore.
If you or someone you care about is struggling, or trying to hold onto recovery, The Staying Stopped Programme could be the support that makes the difference.
To find out more or enquire about a place, please contact: addiction@sixmha.org