FROM THE WEBSITE: Action on Addiction works to free people from addiction, support their families, and educate professionals in the addictions field. The charity has treatment centres throughout England, a specialist family service, an innovative research programme and an expert training centre. The charity has centres in Dorset, London, Merseyside and Wiltshire, but operates nationally.
Action on Addiction was one of four charities of which The Duchess became Patron in January 2012. The Duchess’ patronage continues to be pivotal in helping to develop and promote practical solutions which enable more and more people to live their lives free from addiction, and to challenge the stigma that surrounds it.
The Duchess has been instrumental in helping Action on Addiction to work in partnership with other like-minded charities so that notions of stigma and shame around addiction and other mental health issues can be challenged.
Her visits to the treatment centres shine a light on the life-saving work of the expert staff, as well as providing a wonderful opportunity for the clients to tell their moving stories of living with addiction and their truly inspirational journeys to recovery.
INFORMATION:
— Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge has been Patron since January 2012.
— Action on Addiction merged with The Forward Trust in March 2021. Their combined name moving forward is the Forward Trust, but, the Action on Addiction name continues due to its notoriety in the UK.
— All Action on Addiction/Forward Trust engagements will be updated here.
EFFORTS:
February 14, 2012 – The Duchess Of Cambridge Visits Liverpool – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visits The Brink, a dry bar for recovering alcoholics managed by Action on Addiction in Liverpool, England. During the visit Catherine sampled a smoothie called ‘The Duchess’ created in her honor and met with staff,
October 10, 2012 – The Duchess Of Cambridge Visits Newcastle – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge makes a visit to the CRI Stockton Recovery Service in Stockton-On-Tees, England. Her Royal Highness talked to families who have benefited from Action on Addiction’s M-PACT programme, which was successfully introduced by CRI in Stockton. During her visit, the Duchess of Cambridge was also shown around the William Street facility and met with staff.
February 19,2013 – The Duchess Of Cambridge Visits Hope House – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visits Hope House, an Action on Addiction women’s treatment centre, in London, England where she met with women being helped by the centre, some of them mothers battling addiction problems. Catherine also met with the staff.
April 23, 2013 – The Duchess Of Cambridge Visits Willows Primary School – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge makes a visit to The Willows Primary School, Wythenshawe to launch a new school counseling program in Manchester, England called M-PACT, which supports children whose parents are addicted to drugs or alcohol. The programme is a partnership between the Royal Foundation, Comic Relief and Kate’s charities Place2Be and Action on Addiction. She was accompanied by comedian John Bishop, a Comic Relief ambassador.
October 24, 2013 – The Duchess Of Cambridge Attends 100 Women In Hedge Funds Gala Dinner In Aid Of Action On Addiction – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attended a gala dinner in aid of Action on Addiction hosted by the 100 Women in Hedge Funds Philanthropic Initiatives in London, England. The event was held in the State Apartments at Kensington Palace where Kate awarded Dame Amelia Fawcett, DBE with the 2013 European Industry Leadership Award.
July 01, 2014 – The Duchess Of Cambridge Visits An M-PACT Plus Counselling Programme – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visits an M-PACT Plus Counselling programme, a programme that she helped launch at Blessed Sacrament School which offers early support to schoolchildren affected by a parent’s drug or alcohol problem in London, England. The M-PACT Plus program is a joint project of Action on Addiction and Place2Be.
October 23, 2014 – The Duchess Of Cambridge Attends Action On Addiction Dinner – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends an Autumn Gala Evening in Support of Action on Addiction at L’Anima restaurant in London, United Kingdom. The Duchess enjoyed a pre-dinner reception, met with charity supporters and heard a speech by Action on Addiction Chairman John Lloyd, followed by a performance by comedian Rory Bremner. In a foreword for the programme, Catherine wrote: “During the time I have spent with clients and staff I have been privileged to see the phenomenal work which the charity undertakes to improve the lives of those affected by addiction.”
September 25, 2015 – Duchess Of Cambridge Visits Rehabilitation Of Addicted Prisoners Trust At HMP Send – In her first prison visit Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visited the Rehabilitation of Addicted Prisoners Trust at Her Majesty’s Prison Send in Woking, United Kingdom. The Duchess of Cambridge met inmates to find out how they are being helped with drug and alcohol addiction.
December 10, 2015 – The Duchess Of Cambridge Visits Action On Addiction – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visits the Action on Addiction Training Centre for addiction treatment studies in Warminster, England. The Duchess met students, course tutors, and examiners taking part in a tutorial group discussing their training. Catherine then joined a ceremony celebrating the graduation of 200+ students who studied at the University of Bath Foundation and Honors Degree programs in partnership with Action on Addiction. Catherine also met with families from the M-Pact program, which is a partnership between Action on Addiction designed to help children ages 8-17 who are coping with the effects of parental substance abuse in their home. .
October 11, 2016 – The Duchess Of Cambridge Visits The Netherlands – During her first solo overseas tour Catherine visited the British Ambassador’s Residence in The Hague, where she convened a roundtable discussion on the themes of addiction, intervention, family and mental health. The discussion brought together professionals from the renowned Trimbos Institute in the Netherlands, with two UK charities of which the Duchess is Patron: Anna Freud Centre and Action on Addiction.
November 03, 2016 – Premiere Of “A Street Cat Named Bob” In Aid Of Action On Addiction – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, meets with stars, cast and crew, and representatives from her charity where she sees highlights of the Recovery Street Film Festival in London, United Kingdom. Late in the evening The Duchess walks the red carpet for the Premiere of ‘A Street Cat Named Bob’ at The Curzon Mayfair.
February 07, 2018 – Opening Action On Addiction Community Treatment Centre – The Duchess of Cambridge helps launch ‘Clouds in the Community’ a new strategy to make Action on Addiction’s life-saving treatment available to more people in more places. The Duchess congratulated the charity on its approach to community rehabilitation. During the reception The Duchess made impromptu remarks saying: “It seems like a long time since I first got involved with Action On Addiction, I think it was six years ago, but they have a very special place for me and were really at the start of my learning, particularly now, with the development of my work into mental health. You are very special to me, so it’s great to be here as well as seeing the development of where the charity has gone over the years gone past. Huge congratulations, I believe so passionately in community projects so I wish Clouds in the Community all the best of success in the future.”
May 07, 2019 – The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Launch The King’s Cup Regatta – The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made a previously unannounced visit to Cutty Sark, to launch The King’s Cup Regatta. The event coincided with the announcement that The Duke and Duchess will host the new annual sailing event in August on the Isle of Wight as well as go head to head as skippers of individual sailing boats in an eight boat regatta race, to raise awareness and funds for eight of their Patronages. The winning team will be awarded The King’s Cup, a historic trophy first presented by King George V at Cowes’ Royal Yacht Squadron in 1920. The Duchess’s chosen charities are Action on Addiction, Place2Be, The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, and The Royal Foundation in connection with Her Royal Highness’s Early Years programme. During their visit The Duke and Duchess took part in a simulated race and met several of Action on Addiction’s beneficiaries.
June 12, 2019 – Attending Addiction Awareness Week Gala Dinner – The Duchess of Cambridge attends the first annual gala dinner in recognition of Addiction Awareness Week. A week dedicated to providing a platform to discuss the many elements of addiction, and to engage with people and families affected, and to raise public awareness. Hosted by Action on Addiction and chef Skye Gyngell, Catherine joined her patronage to celebrate the work of the charity. Ahead of the dinner, Her Royal Highness met with former Action on Addiction clients who are working as apprentices in the kitchen, and worked with Spring Restaurant’s head chef and owner Skye Gyngell to prepare the evening’s dinner. The Duchess also gave a speech saying in part: “Action on Addiction was one of my very first patronages, and as such, it is very close to my heart. I’m hugely passionate about the support it provides, especially for parents,children and families who suffer from, or through, addiction. And in some ways, it was the catalyst for my interest in early childhood development too.” You can read the rest of her speech here.
August 08, 2019 – Inaugural King’s Cup Regatta – The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge kicked off the Inaugural King’s Cup Regatta at Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The Royal couple went head to head in the regatta to raise awareness and funds for eight of their charitable causes. The Duchess skippered the boat representing her early years initiative with the Royal Foundation. Catherine’s other represented charities were Action on Addiction, The Anna Freud Centre, and Place2Be. Unfortunately, The Duchess of Cambridge received a wooden spoon as her boat came in last. Prince William gets the bragging rights as Bear Grylls accepted the trophy on behalf Prince William’s charity Tusk.
November 13, 2019 – Private Visit To The Brick – The Duchess of Cambridge paid a private visit to The Brick in Liverpool with British food writer and television presenter Mary Berry. The Brick is the UK’s first dry bar set up by Action Addiction which The Duchess officially opened in 2012. Catherine and Mary met inspiring people whose lives have been changed by the help and support of the charity. It was later revealed that footage from the visit would be part of the televised special A Berry Royal Christmas where The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge accompanied by Mary visited a number of their charities. The special ends with a a Christmas party, hosted by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, to thank and acknowledge staff and volunteers from charities and organisations who would be working tirelessly over the Christmas period.