16 Oct 2026
Forward has been successful in retaining our all-age drug and alcohol service in Medway, Essex for the next three years – and potentially up to seven.
The contract will have a seamless continuation, and April 2027, will include a refreshed service model which will bring together dedicated teams to help make Forward's support services at Medway even more accessible, joined-up, and responsive to the needs of people across the area.
Medway Treatment and Recovery Service – also known as RIVER (Responsive, Inspirational, Visible, Empowering and Recovery-Oriented) - will continue to work alongside key partners Open Road and Streetlight UK, who will retain their roles within the service.
Open Road will continue delivering support for children and young people, as well as recovery support, while Streetlight UK will continue working with people who are involved in, or at risk of, harms associated with prostitution.
Together, the organisations will continue to provide a range of specialist support for people of all ages across Medway, helping individuals and families affected by drug and alcohol use to access the support they need.
The new contract will initially run for three years, with the potential to extend for up to seven years.
A snapshot of service impact and support provided by our Medway Hub (RIVER) in 2026.
All data is based on our adult services work only:
Supported around 1375 service users in structured treatment during the last 12 months (up to the end of August 2026)
1051 service referrals received (April to September 2026)
100% of users providing feedback have rated the service as Good or Excellent during Q2
Other service data profile and highlights include:
62 prison referrals, with 49.1% of those having started treatment in the community within 21 days following referral
Around 65-70% of Medway Hub referrals are for alcohol-only or non-opiate service users
129 service users completed treatment (between April to August), with 275 of those within the last 12 months (up to the end of August 2026)
100% of clients are offered a Hep C test, and 92.2% of those have been tested at least once.
James Parker, Head of Community Services at The Forward Trust, said:
"Retaining the Medway All Age Service means we can build on what's working while making the service even more accessible, joined-up and shaped around the people who use it.
"We're excited to work alongside Open Road and Streetlight UK as we move into this exciting new phase, making support easier to access and recovery more visible across Medway"
The contract award marks an important next chapter for Forward's work in Medway, building on the organisation's existing experience supporting people affected by drug and alcohol issues in the local community.
Medway will also continue to provide dedicated employment support through its Individual Placement Support (IPS) service. Employment specialists from The Forward Trust work closely with our employer partners to help more recovery graduates with their employability skills and prospects. The IPS service works in tandem with RIVER to facilitate an active and meaningful recovery pathway, which can offer interested service users that have completed addiction support from RIVER to develop their career skills, including one-to-one job search support and workshops.
The Forward Trust looks forward to continuing to work with people who use the service, local partners and stakeholders to strengthen support and help more people move towards recovery.
