A leading residential rehab centre in Scotland has joined forces with the St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation to create a new space for people recovering from alcohol and substance use issues.

Abbeycare, which runs a rehab facility in Erskine, is offering weekly drop-in sessions at the home stadium for St Mirren, with the first due to take place on 3 September.

The three-hour ‘Abbeycare Buddies’ sessions will provide a safe, welcoming, and inspiring environment for people local to Paisley and surrounding areas to access recovery-focused interventions.

The new hub, delivered in partnership with the Foundation and funded by Renfrewshire Council, aims to support people struggling with a range of addictions and mental health issues.

Each Wednesday between 6pm and 9pm, a guest speaker will share their recovery story during a session chaired by an expert from Abbeycare or a volunteer with lived experience of addiction and recovery.

A range of activities will also be organised in partnership with other local organisations, including yoga, meditation, and mindfulness sessions.

Gayle Brannigan, CEO of the St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation, said:

“Recovery is an area we have always been very passionate about. We appreciate that most people’s lives will have been impacted by addiction, whether that be directly or indirectly, all of us know someone who has lived with or is living with the illness.

“For the Foundation, it has been important to find a recovery partner whose ethos is fully aligned with ours, and who we feel offers a variety of holistic therapies and expertise post-detox. We have definitely found this with Abbeycare in Erskine.

“We are very excited about the format of Abbeycare Buddies. The Wednesday night sessions are unique and vibrant, and will be held in a safe and welcoming space here at the stadium.

“In addition to Renfrewshire Council, we give huge thanks to our very own Patron Saint Ken Mearns, who personally donated funds to kick-start the project, as recovery is a subject very close to his heart.”

Laura Howat, head of mental health, learning disability and alcohol and drugs recovery services at Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership, said the development will “enhance the range of recovery opportunities” for people across Renfrewshire.

Everyone who attends a session will be given the opportunity to share their own experiences with the group, and receive support and advice from the Abbeycare team.

Attendees can also become volunteers for the project, developing their own personal and professional skills in a supportive environment.

Meanwhile, local partner The Recovery Collective will deliver workshops in creative writing, scriptwriting, drama, film production, songwriting and guitar lessons.

There will also be a 12-week photography course delivered by Open Aye, with participants able to choose which subjects to cover.

The St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation, the club’s official charity, is providing the venue for the sessions as well as a hot meal and refreshments every week.

It aims to build lasting community connections in Renfrewshire, at the same time as supporting people’s health and wellbeing and making them more resilient.

Eddie Clarke, outreach manager at Abbeycare, said the “sense of community” created bylocal football clubs is key to this new partnership, adding:

“As a local provider of residential rehab, we recognise the importance of community engagement, and together with the St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation, we believe we can make a positive difference in Renfrewshire.

“The Abbeycare Buddies sessions will connect people struggling with addiction and mental health issues with our expert team and our network of volunteers, all of whom have lived experience of similar issues themselves.

“We’re grateful to Renfrewshire Council for funding the project and can’t wait for the first session at the stadium. We hope this will be the start of a long-lasting partnership that will help reduce alcohol and drug-related harms.”

Kenny Mearns, whose donation helped fund the project, added the cause is close to his and he is “delighted” to support the community sessions for those in recovery.

Read more: Scotland's soccer aid spotlights Alzheimer's risk; Rural alcohol and drug rehab centre opens; Watchdog criticises homelessness service cuts; A team sport: caring from the community up; Drug harms on the rise in Scotland; Citizens’ panel to help drugs crisis response; Unmet need in Scotland's drug crisis revealed

Sign up to our bulletin for key health & social care updates straight to your inbox.