Youngsters who are in recovery from addiction now have a place to go where no alcohol is served behind the bar.

Harley’s Space launched on Friday at the IronWorks and is set to be a regularly fixture at the Southend High Street venue.

It is being organised by the addition recovery charity Aspirations Program which offers support for recovering addicts, for vulnerable women who sell sex in the area and family support.

“Harley’s Space came about because we were hearing lots of young people saying they want to go out and have fun but there is nowhere for them to go where there is no alcohol. Now we have a fun place for them to go where they can come and be young and have fun,” said charity founder and project lead, Marie Edmonds.

“The IronWorks have been so supportive and they are taking all the alcohol out of the bar for the event. It would be great to see more venues doing this so that people who are in recovery have a choice where to go.”

Marie has faced her own addictions and knows only too well how destructive they can be.

“No one, when asked at school what they wanted to do with their life, would out their hand up and say an addict,” she said.

“Aspirations is all about giving people recovering from addiction and who are selling sex on the streets the chance to turn their lives around and plan a different future.”

Marie Edmonds started the charity around two and a half years ago.

She had been an addict for 25 years and after getting clean for five years her mental health was still fragile.

“I had got clean but there wasn’t anywhere for me to go for support. I started the abstinence day programme for people recovering addiction and when Covid happened we saw a need to support the women selling sex, and so we started a drop in service,” explained Marie.

“The support we offer is the type of support I would have wanted during those years of addiction. To be treated kindly, no judgement, things like food parcels for family members.”

Marie’s addiction saw her children taken into care and eventually adopted.

She now has contact with them and in the future she would like to offer support to people who find themselves in a similar situation.

“There were points where I would go out and take drugs because I couldn’t handle the pain and shame.

“I had no idea what to do and when I found my kids I didn’t know what I should say to them. I could have done with professional guidance and that is what I would eventually like to be able to offer people.”

Harley’s Space runs at the IronWorks on Friday at 7pm. Search “IronWorks” on Facebook for details and www.aspirationsprogram.co.uk.