New recovery cafe offering friendship and support is thriving in Greenock

A NEW recovery cafe offering friendship and support is thriving in Inverclyde.

Your Voice has opened its fourth cafe at Hope Community Church hall in Greenock.

The drop-in has been running for only a few weeks and has attracted as many as 45 people at one session.

John Ciantar, recovery outreach worker, said: "It is a safe place for people and new people are very welcome to come along.

"We have table tennis, pool, quizzes and we have space for one-to-one support sessions, if people want to talk."

Folk can get a sandwich and cup of tea and it's a chance to meet new people.

Fellow outreach worker Joe Cannon, said: "What we're doing at Your Voice is offering people who are struggling with addiction, mental health, loneliness and isolation, another way of life."

Other cafes run at Auchmountain Halls, Branchton and Riverside Club.

Julie Gildesley, 81, who is a member of Hope Church, said: "I think it's great. I came along because I know Dean Ferrie, he's running it.

"It's good for us in the church to meet people over a cup of tea. It's great to talk to younger ones."

The Recovery Cafe runs every Friday between 12.30pm and 2.30pm.