A PIONEERING Inverclyde unit that is saving women’s lives has been officially opened.

Provost Robert Moran did the honours at the Jericho Society’s women’s drug rehabilitation unit in Greenock.

The new centre is the first total abstinence women’s drug rehab clinic in Inverclyde and builds on the success of the men’s unit in Bank Street.

Margaret Diamond is the manager of the unit and has fought for many years to provide help for women battling addiction.

She and Michael Trail, project manager, have been working around the clock to get the 10-bedded unit up and running.

Michael said: “Margaret has been putting her stamp on the service over the last few months, it’s got the Jericho feel to it. There’s an atmosphere of love that has been built up with the work that gets done in here. That warm loving environment is now in place and people who have come along for our open day can find out what Jericho is all about and meet the girls that are getting well.

“A few of them were inches from death and without this service, they would have been dead.

“Now we are seeing them enjoying life and having hope for the future.”
Margaret who was awarded the British Empire medal in 2013 for her contribution towards rehabilitation services, said: “I am over the moon. I am delighted.”

The Provost was joined by special guests at a reception at the unit in Shankland Road with a buffet prepared by residents.

He told the Telegraph: “It’s a great privilege to be asked along to open the first unit of its kind in Inverclyde.

“I think the work that been done here is extremely important. Drugs rehabilitation programmes tend to be male based, this gives women the same chances as men.

“Drugs are a big problem in Inverclyde — 700 people are on the methadone programme in the district and a third of them are women, who up to now, were not getting the same support as men.

“This is a way of helping women to overcome their problems and to become constructive members of society.

“If it wasn’t for people like Margaret and Michael, this just wouldn’t have happened, they are the drivers behind the service.”