A BRADFORD charity has won a prestigious UK health award for its work with people recovering from substance misuse.
Create Strength Group has received one of this year’s GSK IMPACT Awards, recognising its efforts supporting those with a history of using cannabis, opiates, and prescription medicines.
The charity, which was chosen from a record number of entries, is one of 10 winners of the 2026 awards.
Create Strength Group provides support to individuals to help them stop using, reduce harm, and avoid relapse.
Bradford’s drug misuse death rate is notably high, at seven per 100,000 of the population, compared to England’s average of five per 100,000, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The charity’s support work is community-focused, reaching the areas most affected by substance abuse harm.
Their services are led by experienced facilitators who use their own recovery experiences to help others.
The charity uses innovative digital tools like the Nitrous Oxide App and The Recovery App. The Nitrous Oxide App allows local residents and businesses to report canister disposal, providing intelligence for targeted interventions.
The Recovery App enables service users to track their recovery goals and provides useful information such as recovery meeting times and crisis line information.
The award, presented at a ceremony in London, includes £40,000 in unrestricted funding and a place on a leadership development programme provided by The King’s Fund.
Lisa Weaks, Senior Associate at The King’s Fund, said: “Create Strength Group is an outstanding example of what happens when deep community roots, strong local partnerships and lived-experience expertise come together to drive real change to people’s lives.”
She said: “The charity’s impact is felt across Bradford every single day, and this award is a well-deserved recognition of their dedication and leadership.”
Dave Memery, Chief Executive of Create Strength Group, said: “Winning this award is a proud moment for Create Strength Group.
“Our work is rooted in authenticity, mutual aid, and the belief that recovery is not only possible but sustainable with the right support.”
The charity, established in 2015 as Cannabis, Spice and Legal Highs Group, was initially set up as a peer-led support group.
Today, it offers a wide range of support for those in recovery, having run more than 440 groups or activities in 2024, with 3,365 meeting attendances.
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The charity also works closely with the justice sector, briefing judges on cannabis and related harms and running support services for people on probation.
Create Strength Group’s Lived Experience Evaluation Project, commissioned by Bradford Council, seeks the views of those with lived experience, their families, friends, local businesses, and residents affected by drug-related harm to feed into healthcare service design.
