A joint visit by Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross to a drugs recovery group must be a “turning point” in tackling substance abuse, the head of the organisation has said.
Kenny Trainer, the founder of the Bluevale Community Club in Glasgow, insisted the visit by the two politicians “can’t be a one-off photo op”.
He spoke out as it was confirmed that Sturgeon and Ross will visit the group together on Monday November 22 with Drugs minister Angela Constance also joining them.
The visit was arranged after exchanges in Holyrood last month between the SNP and Tory leaders at First Minister’s Questions.
Sturgeon challenged the Conservative leader to visit a working-class area with her in the wake of the UK Government’s £20-a-week cut to Universal Credit
Ross agreed but also suggested they visit the Bluevale Community Club in Glasgow’s Haghill area as he pushed for more action to tackle Scotland’s drugs problem.
The Scottish Conservatives confirmed the visit to the centre, which has operated a drugs recovery group since mid-2021, will go ahead later this month.
But Trainer warned both sides not to turn-up for a photo-op and then walk away.
He said communities like his have “not yet seen the benefits of what Scotland’s politicians promised would be delivered on the ground, nor the support that our communities need”.
Trainer continued: “A visit with the First Minister and Opposition leader to a club like ours doesn’t happen often. But this can’t be a one-off photo op.
“This meeting has to be above party politics. It has to be a turning point that delivers a firm commitment towards changing things for the better.”
He added: “People in places like Haghill are mostly left to come up with solutions on our own.
“That’s why we started Bluevale Community Club. It’s a place run by local people for local people, so they get access to the support and services they need.”
While he said his group has recently received some funding for its work, he added that “this is a drop in the ocean to what we need to continue to provide all of the services we offer”.
Tory leader Douglas Ross said he would use the visit to lever support for the Conservative’s Right to Recovery bill to guarantee addicts to the treatment services they need to get their lives back on track,
Ross said: “Bluevale is a perfect example of the kind of grassroots community project we should be throwing financial support behind across Scotland."
He added: “These essential locally-run services can’t be left to fill in the gaps in Scotland’s system on their own.”
The Tory leader added: “We hope this visit can be a watershed moment that secures the Government’s support for our Right to Recovery Bill, but we will consider other solutions that the Government brings to the table too.”
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