Commenting on news of the planned closure of the Hartcliffe-based Hawkspring drug and alcohol service, Karin Smyth said: “Hawkspring was created following the merger of two Bristol charities, Hawks and Kwads, which together had 30 years’ experience delivering support to people affected by drugs and alcohol.
“First and foremost, this news is a devastating blow for the local communities that Hawskpring worked so hard to support. The work undertaken by this charity was invaluable, and the tragedy is that the need for its services has not gone away, and is not going to disappear any time soon.
“I have therefore written to the Mayor and Bristol’s Director of Public Health as those responsible for public health in the city, asking where and how individuals and families are now expected to go to receive the community-based drug and alcohol support they need.
“I fear that when the dust has settled on this sad announcement, we will reflect that this charity’s closure is further evidence of the failure of the government’s public health commissioning model to meet genuine community need.”