This story of the early-stage development of the Serenity Café with people recovering from addiction highlights the challenges and the possibilities for strengthening individual recovery through community development. Within the United Kingdom, the emphasis on treatment is beginning to make way for acknowledgement that social and community support following treatment is an important resource for sustaining recovery. However, we are somewhat short of practical and policy support for such ideas, although this, perversely, may allow for greater flexibility in the way the Serenity Café develops and may help engender empowerment to choose the terms of the process for those involved in recovery.

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