Get drug and alcohol help for you and your family. There is also specialised substance misuse support for children, young people and ex-offenders.

Alcohol advice, treatment and support

Some people do not drink, but for many, alcohol is part of their social lives.

As with most activities, this carries a degree of risk. 27% of men and 13% of women in England drink alcohol in a way that presents increasing risk to their health and wellbeing.

Use the calculator to check your drinking on the Drinkaware website and find out more about safe levels of drinking,

Drink Less, Better health will encourage days off from drinking as a way of reducing health risks from alcohol. 

Path to Recovery (P2R) has free, non-judgemental drug and alcohol advice, treatment and support for adults in Bedford Borough whose lives are affected by their own drug and alcohol use or those affected by someone else’s use. P2R provide an integrated service with a range of expertise available in one place and support can include the whole family.

You can download a free Drinks Tracker app.

Drugs advice, treatment and support

Path to Recovery (P2R) has free, non-judgemental drug and alcohol advice, treatment and support for adults in Bedford Borough whose lives are affected by their own drug and alcohol use or those affected by someone else’s use. P2R provide an integrated service with a range of expertise available in one place and support can include the whole family.

FRANK has honest information about drugs, their effects and the law.

Drug and alcohol help for children and young people

Aquarius supports young people from 5 to 19 years old, impacted by substance misuse whether this be parental or own use, they offer one-to-one support, family sessions and group work.

They deliver the person-centred service for young people across Bedford Borough who may be at risk of harm from:

  • drug and/or alcohol misuse
  • already experiencing problematic drug and/or alcohol misuse
  • or being negatively impacted through living with someone else’s misuse.

Support, Advice, Mentoring and Advocacy Service (SAMAS) provided by Community Led Initiatives (CLI)

SAMAS provides peer led recovery support to individuals, carers and family members in Bedford Borough to best meet their needs and to aid their recovery journey.

SAMAS mentors build relationships with clients to understand individual circumstances s that they can identify opportunities for alternative and additional support.

SAMAS offers one to one mentoring support, providing links into community resources and group activities which complement mentoring, and peer support, both through other group members and volunteers.

The CLI approach of mentoring can create lasting change for individuals and families affected by substance misuse.

Drug and Alcohol Family Support (DAFS)

DAFS is a caring support group created for parents and family members of loved ones suffering from drug and/or alcohol addiction. The group is run by volunteers, all of whom have lived experience of dealing with an addicted loved one.

DAFS offers:

  • a secure, closed Facebook group
  • weekly meetings where family members can share their thoughts and feelings in a safe, confidential, non-judgemental space

Gambling support

The East of England Gambling Service offers support for individuals and families experiencing the negative impact of gambling.