CrossReach, the social care arm of the Church of Scotland, has officially opened a new residential rehabilitation unit in Inverness, extending vital support to people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction across the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
The new six-bed facility, Nevis House, will provide up to 22 placements each year, building on the long-established work of neighbouring Beechwood House, which has supported addiction recovery since 1991.
Together, the two services will now cater not only to Highland residents but also to those from Moray, the Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland.
The development forms part of the Scottish Government’s £100 million investment into residential rehabilitation under its National Mission on drug deaths.
More than £38 million of that funding has been directed towards projects like Nevis House to increase recovery capacity nationwide.
Speaking at the opening, Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy, praised the expansion: “Expanding residential rehab capacity is central to our National Mission on drugs and I'm grateful to all those who have worked hard to provide this additional service.”
Having grown up around addiction herself, Todd spoke candidly about her personal experience of living in a household where alcohol misuse was present.
Meeting with residents, she listened to their concerns about the stigma that often surrounds addiction and shared reflections on her own journey before entering politics.
She said that she had witnessed “people in the depth of despair” who were being “loved and valued” at Nevis House.
A trained pharmacist, Todd spent 20 years working for NHS Highland, predominantly in a psychiatric hospital, before moving into public life.
Drawing on both her professional and personal background, she expressed determination to address issues such as alcohol advertising aimed at minors, the pressures faced by those in recovery, and the growing influence of social media advertising.
Residents and volunteers shared powerful testimonies.
One volunteer, Maggie, said: “Miracles have happened, my life has changed unbelievably and CrossReach has given me such a great opportunity. There's no magic wand, you have to work at it but I want to help others now.”
Nevis House will significantly boost capacity in the Highlands, an area where remoteness often makes access to treatment difficult.
The new service is designed not only to offer a safe environment for detox and recovery but also to provide ongoing outreach and community support, ensuring individuals remain connected beyond their initial residential stay.
CrossReach Chief Executive Viv Dickenson welcomed the expansion: “We are delighted that Nevis House has now opened in Inverness and are grateful to the Scottish Government for the investment and support from the Alcohol and Drug Partnerships in Highland, Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland, that has made this possible.
“The centre will allow the expansion of the work of CrossReach in these areas to allow greater capacity in our residential recovery services enabling a quicker response when people come forward for help.”
The former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, visited Beechwood House last November and spoke about the importance of the Church supporting such services.
"They do a fantastic job here, but the message is not getting out. What they do here is being in the Church's name, but we don't shout about it," he said.
“It really is truly remarkable, hearing the stories of the people who have been through the service. One chap reconnected with his son after coming to Beechwood House and another was able to reconnect with his grandson. Lives are being changed and not just the lives of the residents."
Alongside Beechwood and Nevis Houses, CrossReach operates a network of facilities across Scotland, including services for families, children, those affected by dementia, and people without secure housing.
As one resident summed up the impact during Dr Paterson’s visit to Beechwood House: “Prison doesn’t help you. There are more drugs in jail than there are on the street.”
She successfully completed the 14-week programme at Beechwood House and later trained as a volunteer supporter.
Another resident who described herself as “now clean and serene” spoke of the transformation she experienced: “I've given up alcohol and allowed God into me and it's been miracle after miracle.”
The opening of Nevis House could not come soon enough as one resident at Beechwood House told Dr Paterson during his 2024 visit that more rehabilitation resources and medical staff were urgently needed.
“A lot of people are dying from the lack of help, the lack of understanding," he said.
