About Us

The Alliance was founded in 1998 by a group of committed drug users and professionals working together as equals to improve the quality and availability of treatment in the UK. It arose from a belief that drug users needed a real voice in their treatment and in national and international drug policy. Since then, the Alliance has grown into the country’s only provider of user-led advocacy services. This unique position has led to the Alliance being recognised by treatment providers and policy makers as an important conduit of users’ views.

Members of staff are:

Daren Garratt - Executive Director -
Ursula Brown - Deputy Director -
Anthony Birt- Advocate, Wolverhampton -
Caroline Blackburn - Peer Education Coordinator, Kirklees -
Lee Collingham - Advocate -
Julie Hunt - Administrator -
Linda Lee - Advocate, South East -
Peter McDermott - Press and Policy Officer -
Dave Pennington - Advocacy Coordinator, Kirklees -
Beryl Poole - Advocacy Coordinator, Lambeth and Haringey -
Maddy Wilson - Advocacy Coordinator, Barking and Dagenham -

Board Members are:

David Badcock
Dr Chris Ford
Abdi Hassan
Sara McGrail
Damian McLarens - Chair
Nigel Munro
Dr George Ryan
Gary Sutton