Brand 'helps struggling Focus 12 rehab centre'

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by Change | 23 Jan 2009

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A treatment centre experiencing financial difficulties has been helped by a donation from a former patient and successful comedian.

A controversial comedian has thrown his weight behind the rehab clinic which allowed him to overcome his drug addiction.

Focus 12, which has been facing funding difficulties after a reduction in the amount of money it receives from the government, has been given approximately £60,000 by Russell Brand.

The Bury St Edmunds' organisation offers a variety of courses to help people overcome alcohol or drug dependency but the centre has £1,000-a-day running costs.

Chip Somers, the rehab clinic's founder and chief executive, claims that Mr Brand's donation has "saved us from having to close".

In addition, fans of the comedian have raised approximately £4,000 through a Facebook group after seeing the centre's financial difficulties, which will mean it can continue to offer alcohol and drug addiction treatment.

Mr Somers tells the Bury Free Press: "[It] is certainly going to give us a temporary reprieve and allow us some time to rebuild our fund-raising strategy."

Last month, Alcohol Concern called for the government to spend more money on supplying rehab clinics and addiction treatment services.

A spokesperson also suggested raising the price of alcohol and ensuring advertisers can only advertise responsibly.

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