Amy Winehouse Foundation opens London home for women recovering from addiction

Legacy: the Amy Winehouse Foundation was launched by her family following the singer's death
Matt Dunham/AP
Tom Powell7 August 2016

The Amy Winehouse Foundation has launched a London centre for women recovering from alcohol and drug addiction.

Just after the fifth anniversary of the singer’s death, the recovery house opened in east London to help females reintegrate into society while defeating their addiction.

Amy’s Place consists of 12 self-contained apartments – four of which have two beds - and can house up to 16 women.

Dominic Ruffy, special project director at the Amy Winehouse Foundation and a recovered addict himself, said there was a stark shortage of resources for women in London.

“There is only one other women-only recovery house in London and it’s only a four-bed with a six-month waiting list,” he told the Guardian.

“Our experience shows if you give people an extended period of time post-traditional rehabilitation treatment, you will improve the percentage of people who stay clean [in the] long term.

“We have a saying in recovery that the drink and drugs aren’t our problem, it’s living life clean and sober.”

Amy Winehouse - In pictures

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Residents at Amy’s Place will benefit from a programme of activities including yoga, relapse prevention groups and workshops aimed at developing skills and employability.

The Amy Winehouse Foundation was set up by the Grammy Award-winning singer’s father Mitch after her death from alcohol poisoning in 2011, following a long battle with alcohol and drug addiction.

The foundation teamed up with Centra Care and Support, part of one of the UK’s biggest affordable housing providers, Circle Housing, to launch Amy’s Place.

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