ARC Fitness to host Derry’s second ever recovery walk

The partnering organisations include Bogside and Brandywell Health Forum, Northlands Centre, Old Library Trust - Healthy Living Centre - Creggan and HURT (Have your Tomorrow’s).

The free of charge event, which is starting at Ebrington Square at 1pm, aims to celebrate those who are currently navigating recovery while also honouring the lives that have been lost to substance misuse.

Gary Rutherford, Founder and Director of Programmes of ARC Fitness, is a registered mental health nurse, a qualified personal trainer and was also awarded the Royal College of Nursing ‘Nurse of Year’ Award for his pioneering work of helping individuals and families negatively impacted by substance use.

When speaking about the recovery walk, Gary said: “We’re looking forward to hosting the recovery walk NI. We held a similar walk last year; however this year is a bigger and more collaborative recovery event, the first of its kind ever hosted in the city.

“At ARC we work really hard to tackle the stigma of substance use and empower our communities to believe that recovery is possible and we believe that the walk is a great way to bring addiction, substance misuse and recovery out of the shadows and into the forefront.

“We also want to help anyone who has been affected by addiction, either personally or through a loved one, to build new connections and support networks.

This past year at ARC we’ve been sharing the message that ‘Motion Changes Emotion’ and so with this in mind we encourage you to get moving and join us for the Recovery Walk.”

To register for the Recovery Walk now, visit eventbrite.

To learn more about ARC Fitness and the different services it offers or if you would like to partner with ARC in any way, please visit arcfitness.co.uk.