News

New Research Describes Volunteer Training as a “Model of Good Practice” A systematic review conducted by Dr Anna-Marie Barron finds that The Nacoa Volunteer Foundation Programme provides a training and service “greater” than the sum of its parts. New research conducted by Research specialist Dr Anne-Marie Barron has assessed the “voluntary training and its contribution …

David Yelland became a Nacoa Patron in 2010 following the publication of his inspirational book highlighting the problems of growing up with a parent who drinks too much, ‘The Truth About Leo’. “Leo’s dad had changed. Since Mum died, his drinking is worse and now he’s a different person; someone Leo doesn’t recognize. The truth …

Nacoa Patron Calum Best talks about growing up with his dad’s drinking and his own battle with alcohol in a searingly honest TV interview. The Channel 5 News interview with Matt Barbet forms part of a special series on alcohol called Britain Over the Limit. Calum talked openly about his visits to the UK to see …

Due to a devastating fire at Nacoa UK, we’ve been unable to follow through on our plans to organise events to celebrate COA Week 2014. However, the celebrations continue – the Nacoa Helpline never faltered – seven volunteers continued to respond to cries for help from some of the UK’s most vulnerable children, refusing to …

I’ve been asked to write a little about my volunteering experience at Nacoa. I joined Nacoa in October 2011, not really knowing what to expect. I just knew that I wanted to give some time to a good cause, and feel that I was helping others. The training programme (there were about 25 of us) …

“Anon is a 16-year old child of an alcoholic parent, approaching the culmination of Secondary education and GCSE examinations which is a daunting and incredibly testing time for all, even in the most serene of circumstances. Yet exams were the least of a multitude of worries on Anon’s mind. With graphic honesty, courage and a …

“Answering the phone to a distressed woman can be a difficult start, especially when she tells you that she has been conditioned to believe that her upbringing in an alcoholic family is ‘normal’ and never to talk to anyone outside the family about the ‘secret’. Fifteen years on and she is still struggling, even though …

“Through all the devastation of the fire, it touches the heart when you pick up the helpline phone and you hear a step-mother asking if you could to speak to her two step daughters. They have questions about why their mum drinks; their stepmother puts them on speaker phone and they take it in turns …

The festive season can be difficult for families blighted by alcohol problems. Our helpline is open over the holiday period including Christmas day and Boxing day. Our holiday opening hours are: Christmas Eve 10-4 Christmas Day 10-6 Boxing Day 10-6 New Year’s Eve 10-4 New Year’s Day 10-6 On other days we will be open as …