Binge drinking has been a problem in Britain for a long time. After what feels like hundreds of government initiatives, there’s still a lot of emphasis placed on social responsibility. But how can we tackle this head on? Sobar is just one of the unique ways that society is having a go…
If the bright decor and design hasn’t caught your eye while strolling down Friar Lane, chances are you’ve heard the name - Sobar. Geddit? Clever, eh? Set up by the charity Double Impact as a Community Interest Company (CIC) with support from the Big Lottery Fund, Sobar offers a place to socialise away from alcohol. And in a place that’s as appealing to those recovering from substance dependence as it is to Joe Bloggs who fancies a milkshake and a game of Scrabble.
Some would argue Sobar is no different to a cafe, yet their General Manager, James McGregor disagrees. “The space can be whatever people want it to be - it’s all about the use of the venue. Most people sit down, have a cake and relax. Often businesses come here to conduct meetings, especially since we offer a conference room now.“
This ain’t just a big advert for a fancy cafe, though. All profits from the bar go to Double Impact. “We obviously have overheads, but all of the profit goes back into the
charity. Money can do a lot, but it can’t do everything. Whether it’s offering a space for those in recovery, or to those going through a detox for cultural or religious reasons, we feel the physical element of Sobar is just as important as the behind the scenes stuff.”
It’s not just customers they help; whether it’s in the bar or the kitchen, they offer work experience to those going through recovery and aim to help them get back
on track after what might be a long gap in their work history. Volunteers can stay for up to six months, giving them experience for their CV and a reference. Recovery
Recruitment is part of the same CIC as Sobar and they take them through the next steps. “Izzie and Hannah support people once they finish the programme, helping them into paid employment - whether that’s filling out an application or writing a letter. They’ve also had meetings with business managers and company owners asking if they would take these volunteers on into paid employment. We want people to acknowledge that just because someone has suffered through addiction, it doesn’t mean they are a write-off. Like anyone, they have many qualities they can bring and what they’ve achieved needs to be recognised - to go through all of that and be at a point where they are ready to enter employment again is amazing.”
Besides the obvious appeal to those in recovery, Sobar are bloody good at events. Earlier this year, in collaboration with I’m Not From London, they put on the Sound Recovery festival, which saw two days worth of local music take over the venue to raise a fair few quid for charity in the process. It also caught the attention of the national press, with NME running an article on the event, provoking much chatter about alcohol-free bars.
Whether Sobar will start a trend around the UK is yet to be seen. Although, one thing is for certain - what they’re doing is great, and they’re doing it well. They make a lush cake too, but that’s another story entirely...
Sobar, Friar Lane, NG1 6DQ, sobar-nottingham.co.uk
We chatted to Graham Miller, the Chief Executive of Double Impact, the charity behind Sobar…
Where does the name come from?
Our approach is designed to support people to build their recovery assets. When I first started working in drug and alcohol services, people were getting support for addiction but the rest of their needs weren’t being met. An approach where everyone received support for more than just their immediate problem was needed, hence Double Impact: making more than just one impact on someone’s recovery.
What made you want to start the charity?
That’s something I can’t lay claim to. The founder was a service user in recovery who had moved on from addiction and started his own business. He realised that every time he gained some success in his treatment, he fell at the next hurdle, e.g. dealing with housing problems, debt, lack of qualifications, and little or no job prospects. He believed that by designing an approach that would deal with all of these issues, people would have a greater chance of recovery from addiction. So he drew together a group of people in Nottingham who could deliver solutions to these problems and they started to raise the funds. I was the lucky person who got the first job at Double Impact and I’ve been here ever since.
What do you have planned for Double Impact over the next five years?
Our next major initiative is the development of the Double Impact Recovery Academy. It’s designed to support people in recovery to access a full range of employment, training, education and volunteering opportunities. It will also offer peer mentoring, recovery coaching and a range of support designed to assist people in moving on from a life of addiction and substance misuse. Beyond that, we are looking to expand our services to other parts of the East Midlands and ensure that we continue delivering high quality services and initiatives in Nottingham.
We’re also planning to launch Recovery Radio for the recovery community. The station will be run by people in recovery who will be supported by our charity in the process. The next stage of this development will be to find the funding required to buy the all of the equipment and then to launch the station.
What have been the highlights of the past sixteen years?
Every day. Hearing the stories and successes of people who've achieved something within their own recovery is the reason we’re here - highlights in their own right. Seeing someone going from dealing with addiction to getting a job or starting university is something to behold.
If someone with dependencies wants your help, what's the first step they should take?
Nottingham has a fantastic range of services. Anyone looking to gain support can either call free on 0300 300 2200 or drop in to Recovery In Nottingham. For information about Double Impact’s wider work or the activities, they should call us on 0115 824 0366 or visit our website.
You state that for every £1 of investment, Double Impact returns £4.02 back into the economy. How does that work?
Double Impact and its service users believe in creating a route to recovery that includes creating jobs and getting people back to work. We recently commissioned an independent study to gauge the value of a £1 investment in our charity and that’s what they came back with. It’s a combination of reduced health and crime costs coupled with an increase in the individual’s contribution to the economy, for example, by getting a job. Within our sector, the national average return on investment is £2.50, so we’re extremely pleased with our result.
Double Impact, 24 Friar Lane, NG1 6DQ
Double Impact website
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