Brigit Pt. 07: Addiction

The atmosphere on the estate had improved now the gang members were either imprisoned, in Social Services care, or on a final warning. Some of the other issues began to emerge. People were now willing to identify petty criminals and especially wife/partner abusers. The estate was generally tidier as litter was cleared. Gardens, which had been neglected because it had been disheartening to have your work destroyed by feral youngsters, were now beginning to be planted.

But providing services for those who wanted to escape from drug addiction was still difficult. The skills didn't exist locally and even if they did or could be imported, funds were lacking. I spent many hours with Gary, the nurse who had been treating him, and the doctor. All three were pleased that drugs had been eradicated from the council estate but the larger town still had too many dealers.

The three of them decided to set up a small scale project by themselves. Anna and Bronwen persuaded the Women's refuge to let the gatehouse be used for drug rehabilitation as long as none of the people being treated entered the Refuge itself, not that they could with the fort's armoured doors closed. At first I had to finance it myself until, with the help of the local MP and the town's Mayor, we were able to get some funds from the government, the NHS and the National Lottery. But that took months.

The gatehouse could take four resident people trying to quit drugs. The original nurse ahd been helped by two retired nurses that Deirdre had persuaded to take part tie roles. Neither were qualified in drug addiction but they learned from the addicts, the original nurse, and the group of former drug users some of whom came every day to help with a group of people who wanted to get off drugs. The outpatients grew in number to twenty, but the demand was still greater than our resources could manage. It would take years to cover everyone who was currently addicted to drugs. It helped that the council estate remained largely drug-free even if we couldn't stop all of it. But what was in the estate was now a tiny proportion of the drug-dealing that had been rife.

+++

Six months after the start of Operation Marmalade I and the agencies got together for a review. We had used massive resources and dozens of people and for what? We had reduced, but not eliminated, drug use on one estate, a small part of our town. That estate's residents were now taking pride in where they lived and targeting anyone who tried to drag it back down. The council houses were now the most desirable locally, and those who had bought their houses had seen the value increase.

But I maned to Brigit that we had in effect done so little and so much more needed to be done.

"But, Raymond, we have improved the lives of hundred of people," Brigit said. "It is a start and shows what is possible."

I needed Brigit and Deirdre's love to convince me that it had been worth while but I am sure I will be needed again to tackle drugs in a wider area. I felt used, and old...

I was in bed with my head squashed between Deirdre's and Brigit's breasts.

"I wish," I started to say...

"What do you wish?" Brigit asked.

"I know that what we have done with you has helped many people, Brigit. But it has cost me many hours of work, tens of thousands of pounds and what have I got out of it? Yes, I have Deirdre and Biddie, but I have little sense of achievement. Tacking drugs? We have done something much but in reality it hasn't had a wider impact. Even the council estate is not wholly drug free and I and my family will be at risk from the drug gangs for years. I wish something could be done that helps me..."

Brigit pulled me harder againt her breast. As I went to sleep I thought I heard her say:

"Maybe, Raymond, maybe..."