The Cumbria Alcohol and Drug Advisory Service (CADAS) has been awarded funding to help provide support for people during lockdown.

The Cumbria-wide charity received £5,000 from NHS England, NHS improvement England and Cumbria Community Foundation last week.

The funds will allow it to provide additional support by increasing staff hours and offering clinical supervision for all staff.

CADAS chief executive Leigh Williams said: “The funding will make a significant difference in a few short months.

“Firstly, we will be able to offer recovery support to an additional 10 people throughout north Cumbria as we increase our staff hours.

“Secondly, we are investing in the physical and mental health of our staff team by offering them some personal supervision so that they can continue to see and support several vulnerable people week after week as they work from home in isolated conditions themselves.”

Since the first lockdown in March, CADAS has been providing support to people fighting alcohol and drug addiction over the phone or through video calls.

January can be a particularly difficult month for people suffering from addiction and the cold, dark days can be a trigger for many peoples’ mental health.

While it is no longer safe to hold support group walks, CADAS is holding virtual creative writing groups every Wednesday and still has an open helpline.

CADAS volunteer Lois Sparling said: “It has been rewarding to be able to give people that brief intervention over the phone. Sometimes people just need re-assurance or tips on how to handle things at that moment in time.

“Anytime we get funding it’s a huge relief. I think a side effect of the pandemic is that people are more aware of how widespread the issues that we support are.”

To find out more, visit cadas.co.uk, or you can call the helpline on 08002545658, open Monday to Friday between 10am and 5pm.