A charity has been awarded a national honour for its work tackling addiction.
Street Connect, a Glasgow-based organisation supporting individuals affected by substance misuse, was named a winner at the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) Awards, which celebrate outstanding small charities working to address poverty across the UK.
The awards, recognised as the ‘Oscars’ of the small charity world, honour charities that demonstrate “innovation and effectieness” in tackling poverty.
This year’s winners each received £40,000 following a surge in donations that doubled the original prize.
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Glasgow-based charity Street Connect has won a Centre for Social Justice Award (Image: Centre for Social Justice)
Ricky McAddock, co-founder and chief executive of Street Connect, said: “We are honoured to have won a CSJ Award this year – it’s a huge encouragement to our team and church partner network.
“At Street Connect, we help churches reach and support people struggling with addiction through a proven and effective model that can be replicated locally.
“This award recognition and prize funding will help us take the next steps in our new 10-year vision to see 100 churches equipped and supported through five strategic hubs by March 2036, bringing hope and transformation to communities across the UK.”
Street Connect’s holistic approach addresses addiction alongside poverty and social exclusion, with its scalable model is now being replicated nationally.
The organisation works in partnership with churches across the UK, helping them deliver outreach, group support, and aftercare in their communities.
Through 20 church partnerships, Street Connect extends its reach and equips local teams to deliver its services.
The CSJ judges praised the charity’s approach, noting its “street-level compassion and national-level ambition.”
They also highlighted its post-rehabilitation housing support, describing it as “particularly powerful” in addressing one of the key causes of relapse: unstable living conditions.
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Kenneth Ferguson, head of Scotland at the CSJ Foundation, said: “Street Connect is the real deal.
“It is a high-impact organisation led by a CEO with lived experience.
“Operating in some of the most challenging environments – Glasgow’s streets and alleyways – it delivers a proven model that successfully helps individuals overcome addiction and transition into rehab.
“Beyond its frontline work, Street Connect has developed an innovative, web-based learning platform that it is now franchising to churches and organisations across the UK.
“This not only expands its reach but also generates sustainable income to support its core operations in Glasgow.
“With additional resources, Street Connect has the potential to make a significant, long-term impact on addiction recovery nationwide.”
