Tom Harrison House is an addiction recovery centre in Liverpool dedicated to active and former military personnel, reservists, and emergency service members, as well as their families. Developed with input from veterans in recovery, it is the only facility of its kind in the UK.
Life in the Royal Navy comes with unique challenges. Our ecosystem of support ensures that those in need receive help from those who truly understand.
When Jason left the Royal Navy, he was looking forward to new chapter in his life. But after his relationship broke down, that all changed. “I went from somebody who really didn't drink to basically 20 cans a day and half a bottle of vodka,” he says. “I was totally isolated. I became a different person.”
Jason began detox, followed by a 12-week residential program with therapy, education, and activities like yoga, gym, equine and cold-water therapies. There, he realised that adjusting to civilian life was much harder than he had expected.
It's a familiar story to those who arrive at the charity’s 14-bed facility seeking treatment. Whilst serving in the Royal Navy, Kim faced some challenges which impacted her mental health but instead, she focussed on her career. “I cut off my feelings just to get through,” she adds.
Despite being teetotal for 18 years, things took a turn in 2019 when her drinking escalated. After detox, Kim attended a therapeutic retreat run by the charity, often a first step toward residential treatment. “It was really impactful,” Kim says. “It was about being heard. I wasn’t alone. That gave me the confidence to go to Tom Harrison House.”
When Kim began the 12-week residential course, she was afraid of what to expect. As the days went on, she was able to be vulnerable in front of the men. “That's important because even as a female, you know that was share a military mindset” Kim says. “It started to give me a voice back. I wasn't just a number. You get to that point where you are a person, and you matter.”
Jason been sober for 18 months. He has also completed the charity’s peer mentor course and now works as a live-in support worker. “I'm in a better place because of Tom Harrison House,” he says. “I still feel I've got that massive connection that I missed so much with the military.”
Kim also now volunteers to support others. “I feel valued and part of something,” she says. “Tom Harrison House truly saved my life. It gave me something I never thought was possible.”
The Seafarers' Charity is proud to have awarded £33,200 to Tom Harrison House to improve the health and wellbeing of 12 Royal Navy beneficiaries like Jason and Kim and support them on their journey towards a life free from addiction.
