The city of Wolverhampton came alive  as thousands gathered at West Park to take part in the annual UK Recovery Walk, a powerful show of solidarity and celebration of recovery from addiction.

Hosted for the first time in the Black Country, the event drew participants from across the UK. The walk, endorsed by national charity Faces and Voices of Recovery UK (FAVOR UK), featured a vibrant two-mile parade through Wolverhampton centre taking in some of the city’s iconic landmarks. Followed by a festival-style Recovery Village filled with live music, community stalls, and family-friendly and activities.

"I was chuffed to bits to be invited to take part" explained Ian Henery, host of The Ian henery Show on Black Country Xtra. 

"I had been working with those in recovery" he said "through my day job as a solicitor at Wolverhampton Magistrates Courts as well in my spare time as a creative writing workshop faciliator.  I have hosted workshops for SUIT (Service User Involvement Team), Recovery Near You and The Good Shepherd.  I had sought to empower people in recovery through sharing their work at the Wolverhampton Literature Festival and on my radio show at Black Country Radio which is regulated by OFCOM."

The event was coordinated by a coalition of local partners known as the Wolverhampton Recovery Walk Partnership which included Good Shepherd and Wolverhampton Voluntary and Community Action’s Service User Involvement Team (SUIT), the City of Wolverhampton Council and Recovery Near You. With support from local events company Dangerous Sheep Events Ltd who coordinated the Recovery Village at no cost in celebration of the event.

The walk also served as a platform to challenge stigma, raise awareness, and celebrate the achievements of those in recovery, with placards and banners featuring heartfelt messages. It also included a floating exhibition with artwork from Recovery Art Workshops which took place during the summer.

Highlights from the recovery village included live performances from musicians and artists in recovery, drummers and interpretive dance, creative arts workshops including drawing, crafts, spoken word and more.