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A voice for vulnerable
• AFTER last week’s very sad front-page article (Police shots end gun siege), I’d like to make a couple of points about Islington Clients of Drug and Alcohol Services (ICDAS).
First, the shooting victim was not the chairman of ICDAS, as mistakenly reported in your report. The chairman of ICDAS, Jimmy Carlson, was in no way involved. Jimmy’s hard work with ICDAS has helped bring aid to some of Islington’s most vulnerable people, and his work in tackling drug and alcohol misuse won him a Civic Award from Islington’s Mayor last year.
Second, ICDAS does important work in making sure alcohol and drug abusers have their say on local services, and that they are getting the assistance and treatment they need.
Its members are all unpaid, recovering from the effects of serious drug and alcohol problems, and want to give something back to Islington. They bring a voice to a group that is very hard to reach, vulnerable and often ignored.
ICDAS, which is jointly funded by Islington Council and NHS Islington, has earned an NHS award for patient involvement. This award was made collectively to ICDAS (and not to the shooting victim specifically, as your report stated.)
We are always keen to hear from anyone who has used drug and alcohol services in the borough and would like to volunteer with ICDAS. They can contact Kate Langan on 020 7527 3400 or kate.langan@islington.gov.uk
Cllr Barbara Smith
Lib Dem, executive member for community safety and housing |
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