A PIONEERING organisation helping Borderers battling addiction has been praised.

Borders in Recovery is unique as all its paid workers and volunteers have years of “lived experience”.

The group’s Recovery Café is held in Peebles’ MacFarlane Hall from 2pm to 4pm on Mondays.

The organisation believes it is through interaction that addictions are tackled.

Its slogan states: “The opposite of addiction is not sobriety; it’s connection.”

Cara McDermott, 24, is a full-time worker with the organisation, having previously battled heroin addiction through its coaching course.

Cara, from Galashiels, said: “I was in with the wrong crowd, started smoking weed and it went on from there.

“It will be two years in August since I stopped.

“I came on the Borders in Recovery coaching course and was very lucky when a job opportunity came up six months into going sober.

“I came to the cafés and saw sober people and wanted to be like them.”

This newspaper was invited to the café by recovery community officer Helen Clopin, who works part time for the organisation and is a recovering alcoholic.

Helen, 57, who has been sober eight years, spoke of her own recovery journey and said: “I was on my knees mentally and physically but came to a point where I could not do it on my own.

“I needed a lifestyle change and it was through group work and family support, after various home detoxes, that things improved.

“There can be up to 20 people at the Recovery Café, aged from 16 to late 60s, and anyone from the community is welcome.

“Everyone gets a free lunch and tea or coffee, and although we don’t ask for money, donations are gratefully received.”

Borders in Recovery is a non-profit community interest company and comes under the umbrella of Recovery Coaching Scotland.

Funding comes from various partners including Scottish Borders Council, Borders Alcohol & Drugs Partnership, NHS Borders, Scottish Government and the National Lottery Community Fund.

Nichola Moore, 50, from Peebles, who is recovering from an alcohol addiction, said: “This group is fantastic, I come away feeling really happy.

“I had severe liver damage; the doctor warned me to stop and after three-and-a-half months of drinking water and eating healthily, it was back to normal function.”

Volunteer George Sutherland, 54, was also in attendance.

He said: “I have been sober 16 years. Since volunteering I have done courses in self coaching, public protection and am currently taking facilitator training.”

There are also Recovery Cafés in Galashiels, Hawick, Kelso and Eyemouth.