This year marks 40 years of The Matthew Project, the charity which empowers people to overcome issues with drugs, alcohol, and mental health in East Anglia. Content & Communications Officer Gemma Ames looks forward to the various anniversary activities and events
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Gemma Ames, and I joined TMP just over a month ago as Content & Communications Officer. I manage all things marketing and brand related for TMP. Part of this has been creating comms plans and content for our 40th Anniversary activities / events coming up in September.
The Matthew Project empowers young people and adults to overcome drugs, alcohol, and mental health issues so they can live their lives more fully. They also offer specialist services for both family members impacted by others’ substance misuse, and for veterans.
What led to the setting up of The Matthew Project 40 years ago, and how has it evolved as a charity over the past four decades?
TMP was founded in 1984 by Peter Farley, a Norwich-based Christian social worker. Peter was concerned about the level of substance misuse he was seeing among young people in the city and felt that the existing provision was not doing enough to support them and to and tackle the root cause of this issue. He set up a Tackle Shop which offered the opportunity for young people (12 to 25-year-olds) to drop-in for advice and support, predominantly around substance misuse. Peter also set up a Tackle Line, which was an out of hours phoneline for people to call when in need. The immediate popularity of these services led to Peter setting up The Matthew Project. The name ‘Matthew’ wasn’t picked because of a particular person – Peter chose the name because, in the Bible, it means ‘Gift of God’.
By the end of the 1980’s TMP had established itself in schools across the county of Norfolk, offering education services and one-to-one support for young people affected by mental health issues and substance misuse. A mobile caravan called the Tackle Express was also introduced, offering a way for TMP to offer outreach support to even more vulnerable young people. By the early 90’s, this outreach service saw significant growth, reaching over 3,000 people annually across the county. Throughout the 90’s, the charity continued to grow, culminating in Peter’s retirement in 2000.
This is when the charity underwent a significant restructure and won a large new local contract to deliver adult drug and alcohol support across Norfolk & Suffolk. By 2001 TMP were supporting over 5,000 people annually, and by 2007 they had acquired bases in Norwich, King’s Lynn, Great Yarmouth, Thetford and Cromer.
In 2013, TMP’s first veteran support project ‘Outside the Wire’ was launched. This was led by veterans, offering specialist support for substance misuse issues and PTSD. This service has proved to be very popular and has since expanded with a team of staff working in counties across East Anglia.
2017 saw the launch of On Track, TMP’s partnership-led project, working with other local VCSE organisations to support young people facing barriers to employment. Following this in 2019, TMP opened Norfolk’s first community recovery hub in Norwich, called Next Steps.
This year, TMP are celebrating their 40th anniversary by looking back on everything achieved in the last four decades. This includes sharing the stories of the people who have been involved in one way or another over the years, in the form of an immersive exhibition at the Next Steps Recovery Centre in Norwich this September.
Where is the charity based?
We are based at our Recovery Centre on Oak Street, Norwich. We also offer outreach services across East Anglia.
In what ways can The Matthew Project help people with substance misuse issues?
TMP’s dedicated and experienced teams of caring professionals see the person, not the problem. They offer hope and a space to be listened to. The support is tailored, rather than expecting everyone to fit into a standard model. They work one-on-one with individuals as well as in groups, face to face and virtually. These services help young people and adults to understand their behaviour and motivations, helping them to make the choices that are right for them and to develop skills and interests. Our Next Steps Recovery Hub in Norwich provides a place of community, learning and belonging. TMP also offers support for families who are affected by a relative’s substance misuse.
How are you marking the anniversary? When is 40Fest and what can people expect on the day?
To mark our 40th anniversary, we are setting up an immersive exhibition at our Next Steps Recovery Centre in Norwich. This exhibition is called ’40 Stories’ and will showcase stories from our members (both past and present) and their families, volunteers, staff, and anyone else who has been involved with TMP over the last 40 years. These stories really demonstrate why we do what we do and show how together we can find hope even in the most difficult of times.
As part of our 40th anniversary celebrations, we will be hosting our ‘40FEST’ event here at our Next Steps Recovery Support Centre in Norwich on Saturday September 21, 12-5pm. This is a free event, open to the public. 40FEST is a day for the whole family to enjoy with great food including a BBQ and cream teas, plus Feel Good Ice Cream Co and The Hope Coffee Co will be joining us. We’ll have loads of entertainment for the kids (and big kids!) to enjoy, including glitter art, a balloon artist, Mini Monsters Road Show, plus lots of fun and games. And to add to the festival vibe, we’ll have live music going on throughout the day with Sons of Mark, The Marjanbo Folk Band, and a live DJ. Plus loads more, including a charity raffle and chill-out zone. The 40 Stories exhibition will also be open for the public to view on the day and is a chance for people to discover what The Matthew Project does and how we operate.
How can people show support to the charity?
There will be lots of opportunities to donate at 40FEST on the day, but we are always looking for people to support us so that we can continue our life-saving work. People can donate via JustGiving – £10 could fund four cooked lunches for adults or young people, £50 could fund a counselling session for a veteran affected by PTSD, and £150 could contribute towards structured group support for an adult in recovery. You can also opt to become a fundraiser for us – there’s some great fundraising ideas here on our website. You can also get involved with one of our social enterprise services, including using our catering service, attending one of our popular DINE events where we work with the best local chefs, or even hiring out our centre. We are also looking for Community Partners to support us.
40FEST celebrates 40 years of The Matthew Project, at the Next Steps Recovery Centre in Norwich, 70-80 Oak Street, Norwich, on Saturday September 21, from 12-5pm. There will be a showcasing of the ’40 Stories’ exhibition, good food, live music, children’s activities and loads more. Visit matthewproject.org and @thematthewprojectcharity on Instagram. As part of the 40th anniversary celebrations, there will also be a special DINE night on Friday 6th September with esteemed chef Charlie Hodson hosting a five-course menu, for £70pp. Tickets via matthewproject.org/dine. Early booking is advisable.
Featured images – supplied
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