INSPIRATIONAL women in recovery who are turning their lives around are making their stage debut with a powerful play.

The 'Jericho Girls' are staging Stigma, a hard-hitting play based on their own experiences of drug and alcohol addiction, at the Beacon Arts Centre this week.

The show looks at the knock-on effect of women being caught in a downward spiral.

While the show is hard-hitting, he group, who are based at the rehabilitation charity's unit at Shankland Road in Greenock, temper the reality with humour and song.

Greenock Telegraph: Jericho Girls

Margaret Diamond BEM, the manager of the unit, said: "There is a lot of stigma attached to addiction and around the way addicts are perceived, especially women.

"Women are seen as the main child carers, they may lose contact with their children due to their addiction, they may be single parents, they may become homeless.

"Society treats people with addiction, especially women, in a way that they are frowned upon."

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Stacy Buckley went through Jericho's programme in 2016 for 13 months before coming back as a support worker.

She says the women involved in the show are getting a lot out of being involved in it.

Stacy said: "It's a great opportunity and the girls are absolutely loving the drama.

"They have never performed before, it's their first time putting on a show and to perform at the Beacon is a big deal.

"I still remember the first time I performed in public.

"I came into Jericho and I couldn't communicate.

"I had no self-esteem or confidence and I learned so much through drama and being able to stand up on the stage, sing, act and dance.

"Now I am enjoying passing on my experience to the girls."

The show is on Thursday evening at 7pm and tickets cost £8.

To book seats call 01475 723723.