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‘Recovery with Rangers’ drop-in sessions aim to have a positive impact on people’s road to recovery from addiction.

The project works with volunteers who have experienced recovery, to engage men and women and help them move in positive directions towards volunteering, further education, training and employment.

Based at Ibrox, the drop-in sessions are delivered by the Rangers Charity Foundation and offer a safe space for people, where they can access food, advice and a network of support. Participants also have access to CV support, trained coaches, and new pathways and volunteer opportunities. 

Colin, Participant turned Volunteer, said: “Before I came here, I was quite shut down and I wouldn’t open up to anyone. But coming in and meeting good people in here, you open up to each other and let people know where you’re at – they’ll help you out. It was a wee haven on a Monday night.”

Scott, Participant, said: “It’s a safe place to come to. There’s other people that are in the same boat, or further on that have come off drugs and can advise me and there’s a lot of love in the room; a lot of support and a lot of encouragement.

“I’m in a hotel, I’m on Universal Credit, and sometimes I cannot afford a meal. So coming here and getting something to eat, it’s a great place and I would love to see it grow.”

John McCann, Recovery Coordinator, added: “Coming to Ibrox builds people’s self-esteem; it builds their confidence and builds them back up. Lots of people with life experience coming from addiction are really isolated. They don’t know how to communicate. It’s a new environment so they learn how to communicate in a different manner.

“When they come into this building they get access to the information and resources they need, so they can find their way out of addiction and it just sets that pathway alight.”

Henry, Participant, said: “There are people here I can identify with. It’s a safe environment for me as well, where people aren’t using. For years the places I hung about weren’t very safe, so to aid my recovery it’s vitally important.

Rangers Charity Foundation Senior Community Executive, Jordan Boyd, said: “We are happy to accommodate everybody; we just want it to be a safe place that people in the local community can come, work on their addiction and hopefully take themselves to the next stage in their lives.”

Recovery with Rangers drop-in sessions is supported by South Community Recovery Network and takes place every Monday at the Ibrox Community Hub, 6:30 – 8:30pm. To find out more, call 0141 580 8775 or email rangerscharity@rangers.co.uk.