New Curnie Club in Leven

Fife Curnie Club opened a new group at the end of August this year located at Forth Street Hall in Leven. Like the other Curnie Clubs in Fife it has been created for people aged between 28 to 65 years old who are experiencing social isolation and offers the opportunity to meet new friends, make new skills and just have fun.

Curnie Club Outreach Worker Pauline Latto (pictured right) who runs the Leven Club described how a previous member of her group has now gone on to work in a charity shop by building her confidence within the Curnie Club.  Another member of her current group has also joined Andy’s Man Club in part due to the benefits of attending the Club. Pauline says she has seen not only an increase in the member’s confidence but also in his sense of humour and an overall growth in personality.  This increase in confidence and enjoyment of life is something that she is hoping all members of the Leven group will find themselves achieving.

The new Leven group is hoping to grow its awareness throughout Fife and are keen to work in partnership with relevant local organisations. The Leven group was recently visited by a member of Furniture Plus who, among the roles they perform, assist people with benefits advice and was able to provide some valuable guidance to members of the group.

Pauline who has Cerebral Palsy represented Great Britain in the Javelin at the Paralympics in Sydney in 2000 where she was awarded silver and also represented her country again six years later in Athens. However in 2019 Pauline found herself dealing with the loss of her mother, health issues and also finding herself out of work. This was when she found the Curnie Club and joined as a member progressing on to volunteer and is now a full member of staff running her own Club. Living proof of the invaluable potential of these groups.

The Leven group is on at Forth Hall in Forth Street Leven every Friday from 10am to 1pm. For more information please contact Pauline at pauline.latto@fassaction.org.uk or 077436 343183 

Dental Health Services at the KY Clubs

Karen Duthie who works at NHS Fife Public Dental Service as part of the Oral Health Team talks here about the services on offer and how the NHS Dental Service is working in partnership with ADAPT at all three of the KY Clubs to provide pathways into treatment

Kirkcaldy - Templehall Community Centre Wednesdays 1-3pm

Lochgelly - Lochgelly Centre Mondays 1-3pm

Methil - Methil Community Education Centre Fridays -11am - 1pm

New FASS/ADAPT Fife Recovery Groups

This month saw the launch of two new FASS/ADAPT Recovery Groups in the Central Fife and West Fife areas.

The first opened on the 16th of August at the Templehall Community Centre in Beauly Place Kirkcaldy and was followed on the 28th of August by the West Fife group which opened at the Lochgelly Centre in Bank Street Lochgelly.

The one in Kirkcaldy - to be known as the KY2 Club - is now open every Wednesday from 1 - 3pm and the Lochgelly group (the KY5 Club) is now open every Monday from 1 - 3pm. 

KY2 Club in Kirkcaldy

FASS Secure Funding in Combatting Drug Deaths in Fife

FASS’s Near Fatal Overdose (NFO) team will be helping people and their loved ones avoid drug related deaths until 2026. The team is doubled in capacity, thanks to the grant of £386,041 from the Corra Foundation. The grant is recognition of the important work FASS’s NFO team are doing, while Scotland’s drug deaths outstrip any other country in Europe.

FASS manager Dave Dempster said, “This grant allows us to continue the vital work our NFO team are doing across Fife. In particular, it lets us continue to focus support in areas with high drug related deaths. We work closely with the Scottish Ambulance Service and other partners to make sure people get the support they need after a near fatal overdose.

“Many people don’t realise that the likelihood of death within a month of a near fatal overdose is very high. A lot of what we do is to help make sure that doesn’t happen. We support people through those 28 days and beyond, making sure they are on track with all the treatment and practical support they need. And we educate about the dangers of drugs—including prescription drugs—and overdosing. We’re helping families and communities get wiser about what misuse of alcohol, prescription and street drugs can do, and providing support to save pointless loss of life.”

FASS NFO team worked with around 600 individuals and their loved ones in the last year. Support is wraparound and based on what the client needs—from testing for blood borne viruses, advocacy and helping clients attend services, to counselling and Naloxone training for significant others.

John Hamilton, FASS Chair, commented, “The NFO team’s partnership with the Scottish Ambulance Service and proactivity in opening new direct referral pathways with other key services is exemplary. For every person who loses their life to drugs, whole families and communities of others are affected. Fife may still be under threat from drug related deaths but our team is reducing the number of those deaths in our local authority area.” Dave Dempster added, “We’re getting better at partnership working so people don’t fall through the cracks. It’s heartening to see the team leading on the official launch of the KY8 Community in Fisher Street Centre, Methil, on 22^nd April. This is an ongoing space for community engagement around drugs misuse and there’s no Powerpoint involved. Just drop in any Friday between 11 and 2. Anyone can come along and have a chat, a cuppa or a game of snooker, just for the company—but the advice will be there if they need it. All relevant services in Fife’s Health and Social Care and Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships are on board, as well as local politicians.

“The Corra funding helps ensure our team are there for people in Fife to drop in for advice and services for the next four years. This will reduce the devastation of drug deaths in our communities significantly. But we can’t be complacent—there’s plenty of work to be done and we’re a small team. Anyone who can help us through volunteering should contact me.”

FASS operates drop-in services for drugs and alcohol all over Fife and urges everyone to become more educated on the changes. There's no need for an appointment and the team can provide, or signpost to, specialist support if needed. For further information on their support, drop-in services or counselling please visit out website or follow them on Facebook or Twitter. To contact Dave or with general enquiries people should call 01592 206200 or e-mail enquiries@fassaction.org.uk