The Annual Reunion
The Annual Reunion held on Sunday, June 26th was once again a marvellous occasion for friends old and new, and their families, to meet and exchange their news
Chief Executive Dr Margaret McCann gave a review of the past year which has seen the opening of a new 22 bed private clinic at Smarmore Castle in the Republic of Ireland and an office in London that offers diagnostic, referral and continuing care services. Castle Craig is firmly established as one of Europe’s largest and most successful treatment organisations and she paid tribute to all the staff who have made this possible as well as to the ongoing support of friends and patients, past and present.
For the morning session, a talk was given by best-selling author Jeremy Thomas who has experienced both addiction and manic depression. His twenty years in the music industry provided a rich source of anecdotes as well as an uplifting message of recovery.
After a delicious lunch, a series of short shares was given by ex-patients and family members, ably introduced by Gordon Hogg and Mark Abrami.
After the formal part of the day, visitors were able to mix and share experiences, enjoying the beautiful outdoor setting until the rain came down later in the afternoon.
For those who missed the opportunity to buy Christopher Burn’s book ‘Poetry Changes Lives’ at the reunion, it is available from Amazon. In his talks ‘he often uses humour from his time writing books on a Greek island his 20 years spent working in the music business.’
