From the 1st of January until the 30th June 2026 we're exhibiting a small selection of artwork and craft items upstairs in the Great Escape, in our newly refurbished 'The White Room'. The Sketch Priority Urban Sticker Art Exhibition is collated by local street artist 'Stake' and shows off an impressive collection of hand-drawn stickers sent in by the worldwide sticker art community. The Sticker Art also shares the space with 'New Beginnings' a showcase of art and crafts from the recent 'Making a Comeback' workshops organised by Kathleen Smith on behalf of Creative Start and funded by the Arts Council and CreateNEL. The regular commissioned schedule of FREE weekly workshops included monthly craft kit sessions and workshops for members of recovery and the wider local community. The exhibition has FREE admission and will be open from 10am until 3pm Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays until the 30th June. Upstairs in the Great Escape, the space also has a permanent gallery of art by local artist Terry Clarke, that is free to look around... Please note; the White Room is located upstairs at the Great Escape so is not fully accessible for disabled visitors. The Blackgull Community Venue downstairs, however has fully accessible toilets and lovely coffees and teas available :)
We’re proud to share some amazing news! Creative Start has won the inaugural 2025 Investors in People Award for Excellence in Building Purpose Driven Impact. This award recognises organisations that put purpose before profit, something that’s always been at the heart of what we do. A huge thank you to Sarah Lumley, Public Health Programme Manager at @nelcouncil , for nominating us and joining us in London for the event. Your belief in our work and continued support means a lot. We’re proud to represent North East Lincolnshire, showing that recovery, creativity and community can lead the way in changing lives and challenging stigma. Here’s to everyone who believes in chances, hope, and purpose.
What an incredible night! We are genuinely delighted and immensely proud to announce that we have won the Community Group award at the @bbchumberside Make a Difference Awards. While we don't do this work for accolades, receiving this recognition is deeply meaningful. For many in the recovery community, the journey is a matter of life and death, and our focus will always remain on providing vital support. To be celebrated amongst a room full of inspiring people doing such fantastic work across our region is a true honour. This award is a testament to the amazing support we receive from so many people. It reinforces our commitment to making it easier for everyone to talk about addiction and recovery without fear of stigma or shame, ensuring that when support is needed, guidance and a space for meaningful change are readily available. Recognition like this shows that the landscape is changing. Important conversations are happening, and minds are opening. Led by our incredible and committed community, we will continue to drive this vital work forward.
Actions always speak louder than words and on Saturday your action of showing up spoke volumes. The Recovery Town launch event at The Great Escape was a huge success with a brilliant turnout and a real mix of people from across different recovery programmes, services and communities. It wasn’t just people in recovery but families, friends and allies too. That blend is exactly what Recovery Town is about: breaking stigma, building unity and showing what is possible when we stand together. It was a day for everyone with great music by Sam Simmons, Rob Bywater and Luna's Moon, organised by Sounds From The Dockside and a real family atmosphere that captured the spirit of what we are building. At the heart of Recovery Town is a simple goal: to make recovery more accessible for all people. No matter someone’s background, journey or pathway, recovery can be visible, supported and celebrated across our community. We want to take a moment to say thank you to Needhams Butchers for providing only the best for the BBQ, Paul Atkinson and LEW Electrical for rigging us up with electricity, Ken Asquith from the Armed Forces Veterans Community who helped finish the yard, Kath and Sid for delivering art activities for the children and of course our amazing recovery community for hosting this event. This launch was just the beginning. Our mission is to keep taking real and tangible action against stigma and for community support. Saturday proved that Grimsby is already a town that cares and we are looking forward to building on that momentum together. Recovery Town: recovery for everyone, everywhere www.recoverytown.co.uk
