Star Recovery is a Christian charity set up five years ago to support people affected by addiction and compulsive behaviour.
The organisation works with churches around the country, providing training and resources to help volunteers support people dealing with addiction-related issues in their communities.
Emma Heath founded the charity after her own experience with addiction and recovery. She holds a Bishop’s Commission for Mission from the Diocese of Winchester, and the Bishop of Winchester is an ambassador for Star.
She explains how the project began and why she believes churches can play a role in supporting people affected by addiction:
What made you start this charity?
I fell into the trap of addiction at the age of 11. I was brought up in a Christian home but struggled with eating disorders and then alcohol. I was very involved with church growing up but gave into feelings of not being good enough, and alcohol became a constant until I was 28. I’m now 47.
I felt hopeless and wanted to give up. I had pushed God away and I was broken. Eventually, I ended up in a rehabilitation centre and that’s where my recovery journey began.
Through that process, I reconnected with Jesus. The 12-step model of Alcoholics Anonymous talks about a higher power. I might have been disconnected, but I knew who that was. It was then that I began a faith journey that was personal to me, not something I had been told or given.
Around 12 years ago, when I moved to Bournemouth, I started working for a Christian charity. They support initiatives for the homeless and foodbanks, but I began seeing many people coming in with addictions.
Holy Trinity Brompton describes addiction as being like a hole in the soul. I realised it was a cross-shaped hole that needed filling, and I could only do that by bringing my faith and recovery together. I started running a recovery course at St Swithun’s Church in Bournemouth where I worshipped. When I went to rehab at 28, I always said I would never work in addiction, but God clearly had other plans.
I saw that many churches wanted to help people struggling with addiction or destructive habits, but they simply didn’t know how to. Addiction is often a misunderstood area of ministry, and my vision was to equip volunteer teams within churches and give them the tools and support they needed. That’s how the idea of Star began.
How has it developed?
I have so many examples of God at work. People came forward offering financial support and encouragement.
We now have a team of six staff and have equipped 15 churches around the country. We’ve become the national recovery support for the Salvation Army and the interest continues to grow. We are also proud to have Bishop Philip is an ambassador, and he offers great support and encouragement.
We take church teams through a process of training and ongoing support, and we’ve developed materials, courses and programmes. Through membership, churches gain access to all of that, along with continued guidance and support.
We’re now working with prisons and we’re developing a youth programme and a mentoring programme.
Recovery is an ongoing journey, and we come alongside people through that process. Addiction is not limited to drugs or alcohol – it can include gambling, social media, compulsive behaviour. I even met a lady whose addiction to knitting had taken control of her life and many young people today are addicted to social media. We’ve also attended Christian festivals to provide on-site support there.
We love helping churches to support others. It’s amazing to see teams come alive and gain the confidence to step into this area of ministry.
You must have seen lives transformed as a result of this?
Without a doubt, however our primary focus is equipping churches so they can support people within their own communities. It’s very powerful to see that in action.
In our latest impact report, 100% of participants said they had grown spiritually through the programme, and the number of people remaining free from the behaviours that brought them to us is really high. We see people grow in confidence.
We have heard stories about people arriving completely broken who are now leading courses and proactively helping others, which is a beautiful thing to see. We want churches to know that this is manageable and that they really can make a difference.
I think we live in a culture where people are almost programmed to be addicted to things and that can rob them of their identity. Addiction is one of the biggest causes of brokenness in communities and relationships and we can play a part in helping to address that. We support families as well because addiction has a huge impact on loved ones who are often the forgotten ones.
We charge churches £20 a month to train up to 10 volunteers. It’s a minimal fee, but we’d never refuse to work with someone if finances were a struggle. Our main aim is to get the word out. We trust that God provides.
Churches can contact us for an informal chat. We don’t rush things – it has to be the right time for them. We want to build relationships and come alongside churches rather than take over. We don’t make it feel too clinical, we simply want to provide support to address a need that is everywhere. I believe that the church has an opportunity to step into that space.
Why do you think it is important that churches are at the heart of this?
Most people know someone who has struggled with addiction. The reality of addiction is often painful and dark, and we want to bring light into that darkness.
Addiction is all around us and we have an opportunity to do something about it. We’re here to journey alongside churches and help meet a growing need that is sadly not going away. The whole purpose of our support is to ensure it doesn’t become massively labour intensive for church teams. We have done the legwork so churches can step in, knowing they have support behind them.
Many people with addictions struggle to access support because the statutory services are inundated. As communities, we can help fill that gap. We’re a Christian organisation and this is about showing the light and love of Jesus in people’s lives. I also love to see people growing in faith as a result.
I was recently at Portland Prison where five men got baptised. I also attend Alcoholics Anonymous for my own recovery, and increasingly people are asking me about Alpha courses. People are searching for meaning and are hungry to know who their higher power is. There’s a revival happening in this area and it’s such an opportunity to show the love of Jesus to people whose lives feel broken.
Stuart’s Story:
Stuart, from Bournemouth, was helped by Star after behavioural addictions led to him losing his job and his marriage and brought him close to suicide. He now runs one-to-one mentoring sessions for young men with addictive personalities.
“God has blessed me with an ability to reach them where they are. Star was pivotal in my recovery and in helping me support others too. The shame-free space that Star creates is one of its most powerful attributes. It gives people a safe space to talk about things they might never have spoken about before.”
“I have seen people emerge from being broken to experiencing real freedom. You see colour come back into their eyes when they walk into a church and realise there’s something special there. Stepping into that space and talking openly can truly set them free.”
If you’d like more information about Star, you can email discovery@starrecovery.org.
