Acorn Recovery’s work supporting people affected by ketamine use will feature in Down the K-Hole, a new BBC Three documentary presented by Stacey Dooley, airing on 20 October.
Acorn Recovery Projects has been at the forefront of developing specialist responses to ketamine use, becoming one of the first services to develop dedicated, developmentally informed ketamine interventions. Its work has grown from peer led support and changes within residential rehabilitation to specialist pathways and a dedicated ketamine support service in Lancashire.
The documentary was filmed with Acorn, largely at its Stockport and Burnley services, and explores ketamine addiction, treatment and recovery.
For Acorn, taking part is an opportunity to bring what it has learned through this work to a much bigger audience and help shape the national conversation about how the recovery sector responds to ketamine.
Sarah Tattersall, Head of Operations for Acorn Recovery Projects, said:
“We see first-hand the impact ketamine can have on people and their families, and increasingly this is an issue affecting younger people.
“That creates a particular challenge for the recovery sector. We can’t simply assume that approaches developed around more established patterns of drug and alcohol use will always work for younger people experiencing problems with ketamine. We need to understand why and how people are using it, what they’re experiencing and what will make support relevant and accessible to them.
“That’s one of the reasons we wanted Acorn to be involved in this documentary. It gives us an opportunity to bring what we’re learning through our work into a much bigger national conversation, but also to make sure recovery is part of that conversation. We see every day what can happen when somebody gets the right support and starts to believe recovery is possible.
“For Acorn, having this work seen by a national audience means a great deal. People across our services have put so much into understanding and responding to ketamine use, and I’m incredibly proud that their work, and the value lived experience brings to recovery, is being given this platform.”
Ahead of the broadcast, Acorn was invited to take part in a Royal Television Society North West masterclass, where teaser clips from Down the K-Hole were shown. The event brought together Stacey Dooley and members of the production team to discuss the making of the documentary and the issues it explores.
Acorn is a Lived Experience Recovery Organisation delivering peer led recovery support across Lancashire and Greater Manchester. Lived experience sits at the heart of its approach, alongside a focus on reducing stigma, promoting hope and helping people rebuild their lives.
Down the K-Hole will air on BBC Three on 20 October at 9pm, and again later that evening, at 10.40pm on BBC One.
