The Recoverist Podcast: Inspiring Stories of Addiction and Recovery
A brand-new podcast, The Recoverist, is bringing powerful, inspiring and local stories of addiction and recovery to audiences everywhere.
A celebration of resilience, hope, and the diverse pathways to healing, The Recoverist is a ‘lived experience’ project, which draws on the expertise of those with direct experience of drug and/or alcohol misuse. It forms part of borough-wide work to build a positive culture to reduce drug-related harm – in line with the priorities of the Wirral Drugs Strategy 2023-2027.
It has been developed as part of a scheme of works by the Wirral Lived Experience Network (LEN), in collaboration with mental health charity Wirral Mind and Wirral Ways (part of Change Grow Live) who provide recovery services for those impacted by substance use.
This project has received national funding from the Supplementary Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery (SSMTR) grant. Locally, this grant is coordinated by Wirral Council Public Health to tackle drug and alcohol-related harms in Wirral communities.
Cllr Julie McManus, Chair of Wirral’s Adult Social Care and Public Health committee, said:
As we know from Wirral’s latest Public Health Annual Report, which focused on addiction and recovery - breaking down stigma on these topics is crucial to helping people access support. Educational, engaging and awareness raising podcasts like The Recoverist can play a massive part in shifting attitudes towards addiction.
“I recommend anyone, whether you’re in recovery, known someone who is, or just have a few minutes to spare on your commute to give the podcast a listen – the stories are inspiring and eye opening.
Through in-depth conversation, allowed by the podcast format, each episode immerses the listener in the stories and details of life during addiction and recovery – encouraging greater understanding and destigmatising these issues.
Dan, who hosts the podcast, said:
This podcast is about real people and real recovery. Everyone’s journey is different, and by sharing these stories, we hope to show that recovery is possible for anyone. Whether you’re struggling yourself or supporting someone who is, we want you to know: you’re not alone.
The podcast was officially launched on 20 March 2025 at Future Yard, Birkenhead, where invited guests enjoyed an exclusive first listen to the podcast, followed by a Q&A panel with the people behind the project.
The first two pilot episodes are available to stream now. Episodes will be released weekly every Saturday, and will be available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major streaming platforms.
A dedicated website has also been set up to provide resources, signposting to services, and additional content to support listeners: https://therecoverist.co.uk/
To read Wirral’s latest Public Health Annual Report (PHAR), ‘From Darkness to Light, from Harm to Hope: Journeys of addiction’, visit: Public Health Annual Reports - Wirral Intelligence Service.
The Supplementary Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery (SSMTR) grant is allocated by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. This funding is on top of the annual ringfenced public health grant that local authorities use to fund their public health functions, including drug and alcohol services.
SSMTR is now part of Drug and Alcohol Treatment, Recovery, and Improvement Grant (DATRIG) funding.
