Quarriers - Operation Protector

Why you should vote for Quarriers - Operation Protector for the People’s Choice Award

Operation Protector has had a significant positive impact on the local community in its first six months: the team has reached people who would otherwise be missed, educated young people about substance use, delivered lifesaving naloxone and training to people who would previously not have accessed support due to their rural locations, and through Recovery Football, created a positive, active community while challenging stigma. Arrows has seen an increase in people accessing the service for assessment, and has forged partnerships with services in Moray that benefit the local community and the people we support, delivering truly life-changing support.

Operation Protector is a pioneering initiative by Arrows, a Quarriers service providing drug and alcohol support in Moray, working in partnership with Police Scotland, social work housing and advocacy. The project targets cuckooing – the practice of taking over the home of a vulnerable person to establish a base for illegal drug dealing – and is the first of its kind in the UK. Through targeted visits, community presence, mobile outreach teams and work in schools, the project addresses stigma and barriers around seeking support for substance misuse, and the impact of serious crime, and initiated positive activities including weekly football sessions.