Derry rally for Detox Centre at Guildhall Square tomorrow

The event follows seven months of campaigning, which has been spearheaded by local woman, Tamzin White.

In January, Tamzin told the Journal how she believed her mother, Louise, would still be alive if Derry had a detox centre. In the months since, she has set up a Facebook page with almost 10,000 members, met with Health Minister Robin Swann and former Western Trust Chief Executive Anne Kilgallen and appeared on national media.

Banners and posters calling for a detox centre for Derry have also been erected around the city, including at Free Derry Corner, with various other initiatives launched.

Tamzin told the Journal that many supporters have been calling for a rally to take place. “We’ve done so much with the campaign and now we need feet on the street.”

Tamzin will be one of the speakers on the day, alongside Derry and Strabane Mayor Graham Warke, Colr Emmett Doyle and Colr Emma McGinley.

She hailed the support of the local community so far and told how she is very happy with the campaigns progress. “The community has really got behind it and the support has been massive,” she said.

Tamzin outlined how, while she always knew Derry had a problem with addiction and mental health, the scale of it is worse than she realised, ‘so the facilities need to be put in place sooner rather than later.’

The rally begins at 2pm tomorrow and everyone is asked to abide by Covid regulations.