We recently asked clients who ESRA have supported over the last 6 months a series of questions regarding the support they have received from ESRA:

Overall ratings

  • Support rating (0–10):
    • Average score: 9.4 / 10
    • 21 respondents rated ESRA 10/10
    • All responses were 7 or above, showing consistently high satisfaction.
  • Empowerment to improve life (0–10):
    • Average score: 9.1 / 10
    • The majority scored 9 or 10, indicating strong feelings of empowerment.

 

Importance of ESRA to recovery

  • Essential: Vast majority of respondents
  • Very important / Helpful: Small minority
  • Key message: ESRA is not an “add-on” service — it is described repeatedly as life-saving and fundamental to maintaining recovery.

Many respondents explicitly stated:

  • “I would not be here today without ESRA.”
  • “ESRA saved my life.”
  • “Without ESRA I would not be in recovery.”

 

What people value most about ESRA

Strong, consistent themes emerged:

  1. Staff and lived experience
  • Genuine care, empathy, and non-judgemental support
  • Staff with lived experience seen as crucial
  • Described as “understanding”, “always there”, and “going above and beyond”
  1. Consistent contact and flexibility
  • Regular phone calls, texts, emails, and check-ins
  • Knowing support is available even when not attending groups
  • Flexible support that adapts as recovery progresses
  1. Safe space and sense of community
  • Feeling safe, welcomed, and not alone
  • Peer support and shared understanding
  • Strong sense of belonging and connection
  1. Groups and one-to-one support
  • Friday group, pilot group, veterans’ hub sessions
  • One-to-one and telephone support during crises
  • Education, wellbeing activities, and recovery programmes

 

Impact on confidence and social connection

  • Increased a lot: Majority of respondents
  • Increased a little: Several respondents
  • Stayed the same: Very few

Overall, ESRA clearly helps people:

  • Build confidence
  • Reconnect socially
  • Reduce isolation

 

Support not available elsewhere

  • Almost all respondents said YES — ESRA provided support they could not get elsewhere.
  • One “No” response was due to not needing additional help, not dissatisfaction.

 

What could be improved

Importantly, criticisms were minimal and largely outside ESRA’s control:

Main suggestions:

  • Re-establishing a dedicated ESRA hub / café / drop-in space
  • More drop-in availability
  • More days open (including weekends)
  • Outreach or online check-ins

Repeated message:

The issue is funding, not quality of service.

Many respondents stated ESRA itself could not improve, but government or local authority funding should increase.

 

Overall conclusion

Feedback from the last six months shows that ESRA:

  • Provides exceptionally high-quality, trusted, and life-saving support
  • Plays a critical role in sustaining recovery
  • Is deeply valued for its human, relational, and flexible approach
  • Has a measurable positive impact on confidence, connection, and wellbeing

The strongest and most consistent message from respondents is clear:

ESRA is essential to recovery, saves lives, and should be protected and properly funded.

Quotes from ESRA clients:

Regarding the pilot group:

  • I’m feeling good and positive, lifted and contented after a fab session — it was great to listen to others, cover a really good topic, remind myself of my strengths, and hear how people deal with their troubles.
  • Really good session, good to redo this, as it’s made me see how far I have come, always good to be around like-minded people.

From 6 months feedback:

  • Going to ESRA for the first time, finding the community and the care from everyone around genuinely changed my life. I had given up on a life, and especially on a life being sober. Without ESRA, I might not be here.
  • Without ESRA I would definitely not be in recovery. They have supported me in so many different ways throughout my recovery. Even when there are areas that are out of their remit, they have supported me by signposting.
  • ESRA really works, the team is the real deal, thank you ESRA.
  • Addiction is a lifelong problem for society and should be funded by the government. Without ESRA, I could have lost my home, my partner and my life.
  • ESRA offers a wide range of support and people who have been through similar situations. It’s good to talk to people who are like-minded and understand.
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