This year marks a decade since Forward Leeds first opened its doors – and what a 10 years it’s been.

Since 2015, we’ve been here for the city, walking alongside thousands of people as they’ve taken their first steps towards change. We’ve supported parents, professionals, pensioners – and everyone in between – to take control of their relationship with drugs or alcohol and move towards healthier, more hopeful futures.

But one of the stats we’re most proud of? 1,929 young people under the age of 21 have completed their treatment with us since we began. That’s nearly two thousand lives changed before adulthood. Two thousand stories of early intervention, of resilience, and of second chances. That number matters – because early support can change the whole trajectory of a person’s life.

Whether it’s someone stepping into our Kirkgate hub for the first time, or a student stopping by a campus drop-in just to chat, we want every person in Leeds to know: support is here, recovery is possible, and there’s absolutely no shame in reaching out.

One of the most exciting steps we’ve taken in the past year is launching Forward Leeds on Campus, a collegiate recovery programme created to meet students where they are. Over the last academic year, we’ve been showing up where students need us most: at Freshers’ Fairs, halls of residence, and across Leeds Trinity University and the University of Leeds.

Our No Regrets campaign is about encouraging all of us to take a second look at our habits and make choices our future selves will thank us for. And over the last ten years, nearly 12,500 people in Leeds have completed treatment with Forward Leeds. That’s 12,500 stories of courage, change and – most importantly – no regrets.

We’re just getting started. And we’re not going anywhere.

Here’s to the next 10 years. 🧡