Sunday, November 08, 2009

Twelve steps, nineteen raptures

And while you're at it have a look at this.

http://www.rapt.org.uk/

I tend to be world-weary and cynical around charities but after less than 20 years in existence (RAPt, not me!) I've witnessed - sometimes firsthand - hundreds of men and women pass through the treatment programmes of RAPt inside prisons and successfully recover their lives. That forgotten band of brothers and sisters who had been written off to a lifetime of institutions have gone on to forge exemplary lives and engage in every conceivable occupation from teacher to social worker to opera singer; some running thriving businesses with great reputations... and these are just the people personally known to me. RAPt has had more impact on addicts and alcoholics in prison than any other charity by a long shot and they've got the evidence to prove it.

http://www.watersidepress.co.uk/acatalog/info_9781872870267.html

Their original mission was to make high calibre 12 step treatment (on a par with Clouds House, the Priory, Hazelden or the Betty Ford Clinic) available to those in prison. They have surpassed this original aim in many areas and now provide treatment within the criminal justice system both inside prisons and via community based rehabs outside. Their annual reunion at Fulham Town Hall regularly boasts an attendance in excess of 300 - men and women, clean and sober, living useful and productive lives and rebuilding their families. Next week they're having a fund-raising evening organised by artist and bespoke curator Neal Brown who has managed to recruit a formidable array of talent from across a wide spectrum of the creative world... not least, me. It's gonna be funny, cool, sick, phat... on a par, I venture, with the wild dionysian transports and saturnalia of an Edwardian at-home etc...Check it out...

http://www.nineteenraptures.co.uk/

In Excess TV interview

http://www.inexcess.tv/?p=7788

As an attempt to kickstart myself out of inertia I'm banging this on... Mainly because I thoroughly enjoyed doing it and was awash with ideas for doing more stuff afterwards. As the man said (Carlyle, I think) "Produce, produce, for the night cometh when none might work!"
Check it out...