Yes, I had an exciting 24-hour period during the week, recovery-wise. A couple of weeks ago I contacted Alexandra Magson of North Wales Recovery Communities (NWRC) after she liked a Facebook post I made about a film clip on this website of NWRC’s Founder, James Deakin. She said she would be coming to Perth in two weeks. I assumed she was going to visit Perth, in Scotland, but she said no, she would be in Western Australia. We agreed to meet.
The weather forecast was awful, with a predicted thunderstorm, and rain most of the day. I picked Alex up at 10.00 and we headed to Kings Park. The rain disappeared and the sun shone for a while we walked around the park, admired the beautiful views, and talked recovery-related matters. We then drove to Cottesloe beach and again the rain held off. We even had two strolls, one before and one after an excellent lunch.
It poured on the way to South Perth foreshore, but then stopped just as we got there. Time for a quick last few photos before taking Alex back to her family’s home in Maylands. And then it absolutely pelted down on my drive home.
It was great to talk to Alex about her recovery, her work at NWRC, and about recovery in general. I gave her my background and told her more about the Recovery Voices project I’m running with Wulf Livingston, in which James Deakin is involved. Alex told me about some of the people at NWRC and about her good friend and fellow recoveree Marcus Fair, co-founder and CEO of Eternal Media. I have been really impressed with the recovery-related films that Marcus and his colleagues at Eternal Media have been making.
Recovery is buzzing in North Wales and Alex left me feeling much closer to the people there. I’ll be visiting them in Spring next year and I am really looking forward to it. Thanks for a great day, Alex.
I checked my emails first thing the following morning. Wulf had sent an email saying that he had interviewed Marcus Fair of Eternal Media for our Recovery Voices project the previous day. The following email contained the film. I then looked at Facebook and up popped a post which started:
A little message from Marcus, CEO and co-founder of Eternal Media… 
I can’t quite believe it, but today I’m Celebrating 9 Years Clean and now and again, even Serene! 
…..
Yes, 25 years living in the misery of a heroin and crack addiction! And nine years in recovery!! And having co-founded Eternal Media, a media production social enterprise and charity making high impact documentary films… AND it being a recovery community as well!!!
I couldn’t wait to watch the film. And boy-oh-boy, was it a great interview! A fascinating story, full of emotion and great discussion!! I was in tears at one stage. I was so excited by the work that Mark and his colleagues are doing in Wrexham, North Wales.
So, next week I edit Marcus’s film interview. I’m thrilled that he is part of our Recovery Voices initiative. Mind you, the idea of editing the film of a talented film-maker like Marcus is a little daunting. But I’ll get over it. I’m really looking forward to talking to Marcus online sometime, and meeting up when I’m next in Wales.
Things are really cooking in North Wales! I’m thrilled. Hope you all have a great weekend.
