Our History
The idea for Double Impact was born in 1996, the brainchild of our founder member, Tony Herbert, himself in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. Tony recognised that there was a desperate need for a service which would pick someone up in the early stages of their recovery and support them in two areas which are now recognised as cornerstones of a sustainable recovery – namely, education and suitable housing. He believed that, if these two areas were properly addressed, then the impact on an individual’s chances of recovery would be significant (hence the ‘Double Impact’ of our name).
Tony brought together two partners, The Nottingham YMCA and People’s College (a local FE college), to seek funding for the project. Funding was secured and in 1998, Double Impact opened its doors for the first time, with Graham Miller, Double Impact’s first member of staff, at the helm.
From humble beginnings in a room within the Nottingham YMCA, the organisation has grown to employ over 50 members of staff, and supports around 1000 people each year. Graham is still at the helm but is now the CEO. Despite this growth, the original ethos of listening to and responding to the ideas of people with lived experience of addiction, is still at the heart of the charity.
As the charity and the sector has evolved, our ‘double’ impact today is through a focus on education/ employment and supportive networks, although the name continues to resonate in a number of ways, to different people.
Have a look at our timeline to see the history and development of Double Impact in more detail.
New Lincolnshire Recovery Partnership and Scunthorpe Recovery Service start
Double Impact launch bid to make Nottingham an Inclusive Recovery City
5th Anniversary Spirit of Recovery Awards
Nottingham Recovery Network launches new service
We kick off a year of events to mark our 25th Anniversary as a charity
Boston Recovery Pathways is funded for a further three years through a National Lottery Community Fund grant
Our first gambling project, TimeOut is launched, raising the profile of gambling harms in Nottingham city
Peer Mentoring in Mental Health NHS services commences
Recovery Links Nottinghamshire, a new online service for Notts commences
We are Finalists in the Centre for Social Justice Awards for our work to combat poverty and social exclusion
DI launch first month-long virtual fundraising campaign, #FIT4FEB
TTK & DI win an award for their partnership work on the voluntary placement scheme
Launch of our Digital Recovery Network in response to COVID-19
Receive funding from TNLCF and Natwest Social & Community Capital to support our projects during COVID-19
Café Sobar receives a 3-yr grant from TNLCF to continue to create social impact
Café Sobar celebrates its 5th Birthday
Boston Recovery Pathways project starts, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund (TNLCF)
Achieve ‘Direct Claims’ status through Certa in recognition of the high quality of our Academy delivery
CEO completes 20 half marathon challenge to raise funds and awareness
Double Impact celebrates its 20th Anniversary
Henry Smith Charity awards us a three-year grant for core funding
Café Sobar achieves record sales
Local business The Treat Kitchen announces us as their Charity of the Year 2018
Big Potential award us a grant to scope out social investment options for our Academy model
Receive award from Heritage Lottery Fund to run a pilot Access to Heritage project
Building Better Opportunities service in Lincoln commences
CEO Graham Miller commences his '20 half-marathons in a year' fundraising appeal
NRN service relocates into the new Nottingham Wellbeing Hub alongside partner services
Our services in Lincolnshire expand with additional funding for a Mobile Training Team
Café Sobar was awarded the Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence for the second year running
The Academy Lincolnshire opens, Double Impact's first service outside of Nottinghamshire, in partnership with Addaction
TEXT' group marks 5th year of delivery, working with people to reduce opiate substitute medication
Building Better Opportunities project commences, helping people with multiple barriers towards and into work, in partnership with Framework and Groundworks
CEO completes 2 half-marathons in 2 weeks, to raise money for the charity
Double Impact launch new 'recovery app', helping people locate support services and providing daily motivational support
Our Digital Inclusion suite opens at Friar Lane in Nottingham to support our service users to gain digital skills, funded by Public Health England
New website for Double Impact and Café Sobar goes live
New 'Nottingham Recovery Network' commences delivery in Nottingham, in partnership with Framework and Notts NHS Trust
Double Impact wins a Nottingham Post Business Award for the Best Non-Profit of 2016 and celebrates its 18th birthday
Café Sobar is highly commended in the inaugural National Zero Alcohol Awards
Our new Nottinghamshire academy building in Mansfield opens its doors, providing a new recovery hub for people in the north of the country
Recovery Recruitment Notts project, a specialist employment and education programme for north Nottinghamshire commences, funded by the Big Lottery Fund
Double Impact achieves 'Certa' Recognised Centre Status, enhancing our educational offer to service users
Double Impact's first Mentoring Awards takes place in Café Sobar
Double Impact purchases and begins to refurbish a building in Mansfield with a Public Health England grant, to house the Nottinghamshire Academy
Café Sobar supports local recovery community through hosting 8 weekly mutual aid recovery groups
Staff embark on training in new 'Act Peer Recovery' skillset
Recovery Recruitment supports 30 service users into paid employment and trains 21 local employers in drug and alcohol awareness
Clean Slate Academy in Nottingham commences, in partnership with Framework, working with offenders in the community
Sobar Social' events aimed at the recovery community start, featuring live music and comedy
Double Impact's first Spirit of Recovery Awards takes place in Café Sobar
Double Impact's first Academy opens, delivering peer mentoring and service user involvement across Nottinghamshire, in partnership with CGL
Recovery Mondays', a social event aimed at the recovery community, starts at Café Sobar
Recovery Recruitment, a specialist employment project, opens its doors to service users in Nottingham, funded by the Big Lottery Fund
Turnover peaks at £1.7m
Head office relocates to 22-24 Friar Lane
Opening of Café Sobar, an alcohol-free cafe and social venue, set up to provide a safe space and work experience for people in recovery and funded by the Big Lottery Fund
Synergy CIC Ltd is formed, a community interest company with the aim of generating income for the charity through recovery focused initiatives
Independent 'Social Return On Investment' report is published, revealing that our services deliver £4-£7 of social benefit for every £1 invested
Homelessness Prevention Service commences in Nottingham, supporting tenants with drug and alcohol issues to remain in their homes
Double Impact's 2nd Recovery Ball is hosted at Nottingham Uni, featuring Mitch Winehouse and his band
Recovery in Nottingham Partnership commences service delivery in Nottingham city, in partnership with Notts NHS Trust, Framework and BAC-IN
Over 4000 service users accessed the service over 15 years
Double Impact flag is pitched at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro by our fundraising coordinator
Double Impact holds first ever U.K. Recovery Ball in Nottingham Council House
Turnover exceeds £1m for first time
Double Impact commences first schools programme, delivering alcohol awareness education and workshops to teenagers in local schools
Business Development Team established to focus on organisational sustainability
Step Ahead' alcohol service commences delivery in Nottingham of an intense 12 step-based day programme
Double Impact hosts second national aftercare conference 'Life Beyond Drug & Alcohol Treatment' supported by local commissioners and partners
GATE (Guided Access Towards Empowerment) Mentoring Service starts, training and employing service users as volunteer mentors to support others in the system
Double Impact delivers year-long 'Access to Arts' programme culminating in a regional arts conference about using the arts in drug treatment
Tenancy Support Service (3 Ways and Solutions) commence in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire county develops new services including 'TimeOut' for stimulant users, a structured education programme (D.I.C.E) and personal development / recreational programme (S.E.L.F)
Double Impact runs National Consultation Road Show visiting 6 major UK cities to inform best practice and policy in Aftercare
Double Impact presents findings at National Injecting Drug Users Conference
Double Impact hosts first national Aftercare and Recovery Conference, 'What Next? - the evidence for Aftercare' - attended by 170 people, supported by the NTA, Notts County DAT and the Nottingham Crime and Drugs Partnership
Double Impact is commissioned to deliver services in the Nottinghamshire conurbations Organisation is incorporated to become a Not-for-Profit Company Limited by Guarantee with a Board of Directors
Nottinghamshire team expands to include a Basic Skills Tutor and expands delivery of accredited courses and training
Double Impact is a key partner in another employment initiatives for recovering people, the award-winning Project Recruit in Nottinghamshire
Double Impact delivers accredited courses in partnership with Enable
Arts council funds first of several arts programmes and Double Impact holds the first of many public art exhibitions
In reach prison services signpost inmates of HMP Nottingham and HMP Ranby to local drug services and education programmes
Funding secured for a new Nottinghamshire service employing 2 staff, based at Venture Centre in Worksop and later in Mansfield CVS
5 bed abstinent accomodation for Double Impact service users established in YMCA and managed by Double Impact - known as 'the Dry floor'
Nottingham service users enjoy free YMCA gym access for the first time and form a football team
A Service User Representative is appointed to the Board for the first time
Graham submits proposal to Notts County D.A.T to start a countrywide service working with service users at an earlier stage of treatment
D.A.T / E.S.F funding pays for two additional staff, bringing the staff team to 5
Key partner in 'Gear Change', training recovering service users to work in the field of drug treatment
S.A.M.P.L.E.R' (Support, Access, Mentoring, Progression, Learning, Education, Recovery) programme is developed and launched as part of a semi-structured group programme
Start delivery of complementary therapies for service users, later to develop into 'Healthy Highs' programme including training for holistic therapists
Nottingham City Drug Action match funding with further ESF funding and a further two staff being employed
S.T.A.G.E.' (support, training, access, guidance and employment) group programme is designed and launched
First expansion of space within YMCA from 1 to 3 rooms
Steering group becomes a management group of a community partnership
Double Impact User Involvement Forum (the Focus Group), is established
Conference in Madrid to celebrate joint European project with other 4 partners
Group programme commences in partnership with Peolpe's College including an I.T and a peer support group
Service works with 50 service users in first 7 months
Graham Miller is employed as sole employee and service opens, delivered from 1 room in the Nottingham YMCA
Peolpe's College secure start up funding from the European Social Fund (ESF) to develop a new initiative to support recovering drug and alcohol users
Interested local partners are brought together - Nottingham Health Authority, The Nottinghamshire YMCA, Peolpe's College (now South Notts / Central College), Macedon (now Framework), the Nottingham Drug Action Team and Ira Unell Consulting
The concept for a recovery based aftercare programme is born through the vision of Tony Herbert (founder)
