PCC-funded Recovery Gym for people struggling with addiction helping to prevent relapse

Gym sessions funded by Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews for people living with addiction are transforming lives and supporting recovery.

The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland PCC provided nearly £10k to Spinney Hill Drugs, Alcohol and Addiction Support in Leicester to launch The Recovery Gym in Spinney Hill.

The project offers structured gym sessions led by qualified trainers for people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction.

While the gym is open daily, the structured sessions run for four hours per week – two hours for women and two hours for men.

In addition, a women’s support group has been funded every Tuesday to provide a safe space for women to share their experiences and access relevant support services.

The PCC visited the Recovery Gym to hear first hand how the project is transforming lives, improving physical and mental health and fostering a sense of belonging and routine.

One service user, who has been battling addiction for over 30 years and is now in recovery, initially began training on his own as he felt anxious around other people. Eventually, he began to attend the structured sessions and enjoyed the supportive environment.

He commented: “It’s the first place I’ve felt truly accepted. As well as the structured sessions, I use what I have learnt throughout the week, and I have seen the progress I have made.

“I used to be very aggressive at home, sometimes verbally abusive to my wife and mother, but since starting to work out, I burn off the extra energy, and I am calmer at home and more pleasant to be around.”

The project aimed to engage just over 700 people in the 12 months up to November 2025 by improving their mental health and physical wellbeing and supporting addiction recovery with the added impact of reducing drug and alcohol-related crime across the force area.

Since joining the sessions, many participants have described feeling calmer and more focused and less likely to return to old patterns of behaviour.

Importantly, project leaders have also reported a significant reduction in relapse rates among those who are attending regularly.

Prevention is a key theme throughout the PCC’s new Police and Crime Plan with the Commissioner determined to build safer, healthier and more prosperous neighbourhoods by providing communities with the tools needed to identify and deliver localised solutions to help people thrive.

Mr Matthew said: “The Recovery Gym has had a huge impact since launching and there are so many positive stories from service users about how it is helping them to cope with the recovery journey and boost their morale, self-esteem and confidence.

“One of the most valued features of the gym, as participants see it, is the fact that it offers an environment that is supportive and judgement-free with no stigmatisation. This is crucial to building the strength, endurance and discipline needed to break the cycle of addiction. I could not be prouder of its success, and I am grateful to the Recovery Gym team and the participants who were happy to share their experiences to help me understand the benefits of this wonderful project.”

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