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Community praised as addiction support hub rehomed

Charlotte Benton
BBC News, West Midlands
Marian McNamee
BBC CWR
BBC A man with short brown hair. He is smiling and wearing a black hoodie that reads "The Dynamo Project". He is sitting in front of a window and next to an indoor green plant. BBC
Founder Kieron O'Toole is a recovering drug addict who set up the project in 2022

An addiction support hub which had to close due to a city development plan has relaunched following help from the community.

The Dynamo Project, which was based near Coventry city centre, has supported people recovering from drug and alcohol issues since 2022 but proposals for the City Centre South development led to its closure.

The project's founder, Kieran O'Toole, a former drug addict himself, said the prospect of finding a new home had sparked a lot of "anxiety, fear and dread", but local support they received was "hard to believe".

The service has since reopened in Spon End after the community came and provided help and equipment during months of renovations.

Mr O'Toole's father, the project's benefactor, helped to secure the service's new building which can support up to 26 residents - 10 more than the previous centre.

The facility also has a room dedicated to cognitive behavioural therapy, spaces for private one-to-one sessions and two day rooms where workshops are held.

The Dynamo Project A white two-storey building with black windows. There is a big tree in front of the building and a small building to the left. The Dynamo Project
The new support hub in Spon End provides residential accomodation for up to 26 people

Mr O'Toole said he was "amazed" by the generosity.

"I'm a drug addict and all the guys we help have addiction issues and it's most likely that we've done a lot of wrong in our life as it goes hand in hand with addiction," he said.

"It really shows that there are a lot of people out there who enjoy seeing people turn their life around."

The Dynamo Project A room with two brown sofas against the walls, then a table with teal chairs and a higher table with three bar stools. The room has pale herringbone flooring and cream walls. The Dynamo Project
The facility's new location has a room dedicated to cognitive behavioural therapy and spaces for private one-to-one sessions

Andy Brookes reached out to the project last year after he relapsed following the death of his mum.

Mr Brookes is now in recovery and said the service had helped him feel part of a community.

"They got me to do stuff I never thought I'd be able to do like walking Snowdon and playing a charity rugby game, it meant the world to me," he said.

He now works at the centre as a support worker and said it "meant everything to him" to give back to a service that had "given so much to him".

A man who is bald, wearing a black T-shirt and has a long ginger beard. He is smiling at the camera and sitting in front of a brightly coloured picture that is hanging on the wall.
Andy Brookes who previously received help from the project, is now a support worker

Mr O'Toole said he was "delighted" that residents had "such a beautiful place to try and recover".

"It's an unbelievable, amazing place and we are really pleased we now have some stability and can drive forward over the years to come," he added.

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