People in recovery, their families, support organisations and members of the wider Newcastle community came together for Newcastle Recovery Festival and Recovery Walk celebrating hope, connection and the journey towards a life free from addiction.
The 2km Recovery Walk saw people meet at Hadrian Square in Byker before making their way to Ouseburn Farm for the Newcastle Recovery Festival. The festival was organised by Tyne Housing in partnership with Road to Recovery Trust and Revival Newcastle.
These events formed part of Newcastle’s Recovery Month 2026 programme, which brings organisations and communities across the city together throughout September to raise awareness of recovery, celebrate the strength within the recovery community and challenge the stigma surrounding addiction.
Open to everyone, the events brought together people with lived experience of addiction and recovery, those supporting loved ones, people working across the sector and members of the wider community who were keen to show their support.
The Revival Newcastle Recovery Coffee Bike was also at the start of the walk, giving people the opportunity to grab a coffee, have a conversation and find out more about recovery and support available across Newcastle.
Steve McKinlay, Chief Executive of Tyne Housing, said: “It was fantastic to see so many people come together to celebrate the strength and determination that enables people to take the journey of recovery, reduce stigma and show that it is a journey people should feel proud of and be able to talk about openly without judgement.
“At Tyne, we see every day the difference that the right support, stable housing and positive relationships can make to someone’s recovery journey. Events like this are a brilliant way of bringing that community together and showing people that they are not alone. We’re really proud to have worked alongside Revival Newcastle and RTRT to play our part in Newcastle’s Recovery Month.”
The walk finished at Ouseburn Farm, where participants joined the Newcastle Recovery Festival as part of a wider programme of activities celebrating recovery and community.
Around 115 people joined the festival, which was delivered with the support of Tyne residents and volunteers, who played an active role in the planning and delivery of the event. Tyne resident Iain, helped feed over 100 people cooking and serving at the community BBQ, and Tom shared his honest insight into his own personal journey, alongside many others during the Recovery Stories Workshop, later recited during the Recovery Arch Reflection session, facilitated by Road To Recovery Trust.
The festival was hosted at Ouseburn Farm, with members of the recovery community also getting the chance to meet and feed the animals at the farm.
Steve Wood, Chair of Revival Newcastle, said: “This has been Newcastle’s biggest Recovery Month on record, full of purpose, hope and connection. All of that was on show at the walk and festival. To see so many people turn out, showing such positivity towards each other, was so heartwarming to see. We may all have different stories and different ways of recovering, but we can come together with a shared purpose and vision of a life that stretches beyond recovery.”
Recovery Month takes place every September and brings together services, charities, community organisations, mutual aid groups and people with lived experience to celebrate recovery and provide opportunities to connect, learn and access support.
Jimmy Dixon, CEO of The Road to Recovery Trust, said: “Celebrating recovery is something the Road to Recovery Trust is deeply passionate about, and this was a genuine celebration of people, of progress, of hope, and of the recovery community that continues to grow across Newcastle.”
The Newcastle programme includes walks, workshops, creative sessions, sport, gardening, community lunches, open recovery meetings and awareness events taking place across the city throughout the month.
Tyne Housing provides housing and support for people across the North East including specialist services for people affected by homelessness and a Sober Living House for people in recovery. To find out more about Tyne Housing, visit www.tynehousing.org.uk
