For 65 years, Gloucester House has served as a vital addiction recovery centre on Highworth’s High Street. Run by The Salvation Army, it has quietly changed lives one at a time. Now it has taken home a Pride of Swindon team award. The honour celebrates its long-standing work supporting men through sobriety.

Voluntary Action Swindon (VAS), Swindon Borough Council and local radio station Swindon 105.5 jointly host the awards. They exist to recognise individuals and teams who have made a genuine and lasting difference across the Swindon Borough. This year, Gloucester House stood out. The centre earned its place for tireless dedication to helping men overcome alcohol or drug dependency and behavioural challenges.

Six Decades of Second Chances at the Addiction Recovery Centre

Since opening in 1960, Gloucester House has grown from a single facility into one of the UK’s most enduring addiction recovery centres. What began as a refuge from alcohol dependency has expanded to include a second halfway house. The centre has now positively impacted thousands of lives across the country.

The scale of need is significant. Alcohol misuse costs England around £3.5 billion per year in healthcare. In 2022 to 2023, an estimated 602,391 adults were in contact with drug and alcohol services across England. Community-rooted work by drug and alcohol rehabilitation services like Gloucester House has never been more important.

Staff Recognition and Breaking the Stigma

Maz Hyde, Programme Manager at Gloucester House, described the award as a powerful validation of the team’s daily commitment.

“This award is a brilliant achievement and recognises the work the staff have done over the last year,” said Maz. “There is still some cultural stigma towards addiction, and recognition like this goes towards changing that perception. The staff work hard every day trying to fulfil The Salvation Army’s mission to change lives. Many of our team come in on their days off, take residents to their meetings and activities in their own time, enabling them to successfully complete the programme.”

That culture of going above and beyond sits at the heart of the addiction recovery centre. Many residents say it is this human warmth that makes the real difference. A staff member who shows up on a day off. Support that stretches beyond office hours. These are the things that help someone complete the programme rather than walk away from it.

Recovery Stories from the Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Programme

The awards evening was an emotional occasion. Former residents, family members and friends of the centre all shared accounts of how Gloucester House had shaped their lives.

One particularly moving contribution came from the sister of a former resident. She spoke about the transformation her brother went through during the drug and alcohol rehabilitation programme. He now works in the probation service, helping others facing similar struggles.

The evening also featured a nurse who worked at Gloucester House as a newly qualified professional in the 1980s. She still supports drug and alcohol services today. She carries the lessons in compassion she learned at the centre throughout her career.

These are not isolated stories. Each one reflects the generational ripple effect a committed addiction recovery centre can have on individuals, families and wider communities.

Rooted in Community

Gloucester House paid tribute to those who have stood alongside it over the years. The Friends of Gloucester House (FOGH) is a group of dedicated trustees who have fundraised for the centre for many years. Their support has helped sustain the work through periods of uncertainty.

The centre was also a finalist at the Big Highworth Community Awards in March 2026. It received a Thank You award, a further reflection of how deeply it is valued locally.

Looking Ahead with Commitment

The team at Gloucester House is candid about the challenges facing addiction recovery services nationally. Funding remains the most pressing concern. Maz noted that local funding is very limited, which results in fewer referrals from the surrounding area. The Choices Group, which advocates for the rehabilitation sector, recently attended Parliament to raise these concerns with policymakers. The team at Gloucester House is actively working on strategies to bring in more support.

Maz shared a message of solidarity to those currently on their recovery journey.

“We want the residents to know how committed Gloucester House staff and the Highworth and Swindon community are to recovery. We are dedicated to the message that everybody has the right to a chance at sobriety.”

It is a message spoken here for 65 years. And it is one worth repeating.

To learn more about Gloucester House or to support their programmes, visit the Gloucester House website.

Source: dbrecoveryresources