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Addiction activist’s dying wish realised with cafe

BBC A wall of a cafe. The wall displays a photograph of a smiling woman with blonde hair cut to her shoulder. She has her arms crossed and is wearing a grey speckled dress. There is a long passage of text beside the photograph detailing her story. The rest of the wall is painted green. Padded black chairs with wooden handles sit in front of the display. Flowers can be seen in the foreground.BBC
Noreen Oliver's story is displayed on the walls of the cafe, including her own battle with alcoholism, encouraging customers to ask about addiction and recovery

A woman who dedicated 25 years to supporting people with drug and alcohol issues has been honoured with a new social enterprise cafe in Stoke-on-Trent.

Noreen's Recovery Lounge in Fenton Manor Sports Complex was the idea of Noreen Oliver MBE, founder & managing director of rehabilitation services BAC O'Connor and Recovery Group UK.

Mrs Oliver passed away in December 2023 and the service’s chief executive, Kendra Gray, said she would have been really proud to see the staff "thriving".

"She wanted one in Stoke for such a long time. I told her that I'd been here to visit it, two days before she died," said Mrs Gray.

Listen on BBC Sounds: Hear from Mrs Gray from the launch event of Noreen's Recovery Lounge at Fenton Manor

Mrs Oliver established BAC rehabilitation centre in Burton-upon-Trent in 1998 and opened similar recovery cafes in the Staffordshire town and Wigan.

The rehab service and WithYou charity have worked in partnership with Stoke-on-Trent City Council to deliver this new social enterprise.

Cafe staff, a majority of whom are recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, served more than 2,000 customers during the opening weekend.

"Seeing the people who work here with their heads high, learning new skills and having that opportunity to reconnect with the community - it's amazing!" said Mrs Gray.

‘Drugs and alcohol can affect anyone at any time’

Amanda McHugh works at the cafe, having spent the last ten months recovering from alcohol addiction at the BAC Centre.

She told BBC Radio Stoke the work was a "privilege and an honour", being able to "advocate recovery and try to reduce the stigma".

She thanked Mrs Oliver and the recovery staff to whom she feels "indebted", and recalled first entering the BAC O’Connor Centre having left her family in Northamptonshire to seek help.

“I had no soul, no purpose,” she described, “I‘d lost everything due to my addiction and it had nearly taken my life on multiple occasions.”

“I had to build myself back up again which was the most painful thing, apart from having to walk away from my children,” she said.

A woman with a black and white stripped blazer is smiling in a cafe. She has a black top on underneath her blazer and a grey waistcoat. She has short hair and is wearing lipstick.
Mrs McHugh said she was a "broken shell" when she started rehabilitation

Mrs Oliver's sister, Sue Kernahan, visited the cafe and said it was pleasing to see partnerships being made between supportive organisations.

"She would be beaming with pride," said her sister.

"Her legacy is living on and it's here and living and breathing here today and you can feel the community spirit."

Councillor Lynn Watkins, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said it was fantastic to visit the cafe.

“This is a great example of where people who have been through hardship have gotten the support they need and are now embracing working in the local community.”

“Everyone should feel comfortable when asking for the support they need.”

The cafe is open to the public on Thursdays and Fridays between 10:00 and 20:00, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 08:30 and 18.30.

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