The UK’s first dry bar The Brink has welcomed the Minister of State for Employment.

The inspirational Parr Street social initiative, which has pioneered sustained recovery through various methods including employment, was visited by minister Damian Hinds MP, as part of his tour of the country for the Department for Work & Pensions.

Whilst at The Brink, Mr Hinds MP met with staff members and saw first-hand the inspiring work carried out at the venue to increase employment statistics for vulnerable people across the region.

General Manager of The Brink Carl Bell said:

“We are very proud to welcome Mr Hinds to our venue, as part of his nationwide tour to discuss some of the challenges facing prospective employees and local employers.

“As part of our overall efforts to sustain long-term recovery and well-being, we place a high value on our employment strategy, which encourages vulnerable members of society who are in recovery to positively reintegrate into the community. The venue itself is staffed by those who are able to personally demonstrate our ethos, with 57% of our staff members currently in recovery from addiction and a further 13% who are in recovery from poor mental health.

“By helping those in recovery to prepare for employment through training, education or volunteering, our mission is to provide a helping hand from the first steps of recovery to final stages of finding independence through joining or re-entering the workforce when the time is right. By offering a strong support network and programmes covering CV writing and interview practice to name a few, we have helped an impressive number of individuals achieve a positive outcome over the years. For example, one of our staff members has been in and out of prison throughout his life and has undertaken his first job at The Brink, while three other staff members volunteered here both in the café and in our treatment process before becoming paid members of the team.”

The Brink offers a range of recovery programmes including ‘The Brink of Change’, which helps individuals to prepare for their first steps towards long-term change. This programme has seen success of 93 individuals moving into recovery, some of which are now in employment, volunteering or in training. Likewise, the ‘Recovery Aspiration Project’ helps individuals to apply for jobs and find training and employment opportunities to begin their journey back to independence.

Employment Minister Damian Hinds said:

“I was delighted to visit The Brink today, meet some of their clients and hear first-hand about the centre’s work in helping people with very big challenges to turn their lives around.

“The Brink’s approach to encouraging, supporting and training is a shining example of a really inclusive approach, helping build a Britain that works for everyone.”

For more information about the recovery services at The Brink visit www.thebrinkliverpool.com or call 0151 703 0582.