A special performance by people who have overcome addiction has been staged in Paisley.

The event, which was held at the Wynd Centre, involved members of the Recovering Voices group in Renfrewshire.

Drugs and Alcohol Policy Minister Elena Whitham was among those who watched the performance, which was organised by charity Creative Change Collective.

The event included a variety-style mix of scripted readings produced and developed by participants and delivery team members during a 12-week programme.

It was followed by a Q&A, with participants sharing insights from their shared experiences of addiction and the impact it has had on their lives and loved ones.

The Gazette:

The Gazette:

Renfrewshire group participant Corey Pearson, 31, had been battling opiate addiction for most of his adult life and joined Recovering Voices as a way of connecting with people again after his drug use left him unable to socialise normally.

Corey said: "Addiction and drugs become the sole focus for an addict, it's their source of peace and comfort.

"Everything else in their life becomes secondary – socialising, jobs, family, everything.

"I'd become so out of energy and out of touch with myself that speaking to people was a titanic effort.

"Years of doing that had more or less warped my social abilities.

"The purpose of joining Recovering Voices was to expose myself to new people."

The Gazette:

The Gazette:

The Renfrewshire recovery group is made up of people in community-based recovery and others who are in residential recovery with Abbeycare in Erskine.

During her visit, Ms Whitman met with participants and members of Creative Change Collective's delivery team to hear more about their work.

She said: "I was pleased to hear about the vital work that's being done as part of the National Misson and to see a brilliant performance.

"The plays were phenomenal and was interesting to see how they related the journeys and inner turmoil of asylum seekers to those who are battling addiction."

Creative Change Collective's Recovering Voices programmes are currently run in Renfrewshire, Glasgow, North Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire and are open to anyone in community-based or residential recovery.

The projects are funded by the Scottish Government through the Corra Foundation and use a unique anonymous drama model which allows people to express themselves fully in a safe environment and has been found to be less emotionally triggering.