Who are we?

Together we considered the current UK landscape for people with addictions and reflected on what we were seeing and hearing over the last few years:

• Increasing numbers of people were still dying from preventable overdoses.
• Individuals and family members were reporting inequitable opportunities accessing residential treatment. There appeared to be a post-code lottery with some local authorities investing more than others.
• People were unaware of their rights to publicly funded drug and alcohol treatment, and had no independent advocacy when they needed it.
• There wasn’t enough investment in the treatment for trauma – often one of the underlying reasons for problematic substance use.
• We saw an unacceptable level of stigma around people with living and lived experiences in workplaces and in the mainstream media. Unhelpful and discriminatory language and labels were still being used with impunity.
• We heard that the voices of living and lived experiences were sometimes cherry-picked, and that not everyone was invited to the table.

In April 2021, led by our energetic CEO Annemarie Ward, we re-visited our aims, and made the decision to re-focus our energies on our campaigning and advocacy activities, whilst still retaining some of our core activities like our National Recovery Walk.

We are going to be brave and outspoken – calling out social injustice and encouraging our communities to speak out for themselves. We will become a vehicle for the voice of conscience, holding people to account for what we believe is right. We will continue to develop campaigns such as #Youkeeptalkingwekeepdying – reminding society that deaths from overdose are preventable and leave behind decimated families and communities.

We are excited to reveal our revised purpose and set of aims that will give our charity the foundation from which to develop our activities in 2021 and beyond.

Our team

Our trustees

I am one of many Faces and Voices of Recovery who do not see young, smart, people with a passion to promote recovery having a seat at a table where we can be heard and influence or impact recovery, when we have credible lived experience. I am a woman in Recovery and part of a family in recovery. 

I am one of the founders of Recovery Coach Community CIC, and a lead trainer for Recovery Coach Academy, as one of the first two CCAR Authorised facilitators and Recovery Coach Professional Designates in the UK. We help Individuals, groups and organizations learn, train and utilize recovery coaching by educating, collaborating & supporting people to feel empowered themselves as well as empower others. 

We do this by supporting organizations to build their Recovery Communities, as well as Supporting Individuals to implement Recovery Coaching. 

I am very fortunate to have experienced recovery communities in the USA, and now have the opportunity to bring this to the UK; by combining my personal and professional experiences together to make a positive impact on Recovery. 

After moving to England from Texas in June 2018, I engaged in recovery communities & services to enhance my knowledge around the culture of recovery in the UK. Prior to the start of Recovery Coach Communities CIC, I was employed at Turning Point where within a year and a half I moved from volunteer, to employee as manager of the Recovery cafe; then went on to be promoted to a Recovery worker. I received an award at the Houses of Parliament due to my successes within Turning Point. 

You can find out more about Certified  Recovery Coaching in the UK here

Justine MacArthur our interm Chair has cultivated a rich career in human resources within the pharmacotherapy sector, primarily focusing on medicated assisted treatments (MAT) for Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and serious mental health conditions. With over nine years of experience, she has provided HR support to global teams at Indivior, engaging in a broad spectrum of HR functions such as recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and handling complex employee relations cases.

Her personal journey, marked by the loss of family and friends to overdose and witnessing the recovery of others, has instilled a deep commitment to supporting individuals affected by SUD. This personal connection, coupled with her professional background, fuels her advocacy for evidence-based treatment approaches and policy reform to improve access to addiction services.

Justine’s involvement with FAVOR UK began after being inspired by Annmarie Ward in 2018, leading to regular donations, participation in Recovery Walks, and active promotion of recovery initiatives within her network. Her efforts extend beyond her professional sphere, as she also contributes to community support initiatives and environmental causes, reflecting her holistic approach to societal well-being.

Joining the trustee board of FAVOR UK, Justine is eager to leverage her HR expertise, lived experience, and advocacy passion to further the organization’s mission of enhancing support, reducing stigma, and influencing policy for individuals with SUD in the UK. Her multifaceted experience positions her as a valuable asset to FAVOR UK, where she aims to contribute to the ongoing development and expansion of its advocacy and support services.

Muntazir brings a wealth of experience in finance, audit, and risk management to the Faces & Voices of Recovery UK board. As Head of Pensions at one of the UK’s largest transport companies, Muntazir has a strong record of leading and driving success, while demonstrating a deep understanding of governance and regulatory compliance.

Muntazir also serves as a Trustee Director of a workplace pension scheme, which has given him valuable insights into trustee responsibilities. With a background in risk management, Muntazir is adept at identifying, assessing, and mitigating potential risks, ensuring robust financial controls and risk management strategies.

Beyond professional expertise, Muntazir is active in the recovery sphere and brings significant lived experience of addiction and recovery. This personal journey fuels a deep commitment to the vision and aims of Faces & Voices of Recovery UK, particularly in addressing the stigma associated with addiction and improving access to treatment. Muntazir is also passionate about sharing the power of recovery and fostering connection.

Muntazir is eager to bring his skills and experience to Faces & Voices of Recovery UK, contributing to its strategic direction and helping to shape public policy, break down stereotypes, and promote a culture of hope.”

Kari-Anne Paulsen brings over three decades of lived recovery experience, service, and compassionate practice to Faces & Voices of Recovery UK. Clean since 1 October 1990, recovery is not something she does alongside her life, it is the foundation on which her life has been built. For more than thirty years she has remained actively engaged in recovery communities, supporting and mentoring women as they find their way out of addiction and into sustained recovery.

Professionally, Kari-Anne is a certified Yoga Therapist and a graduate of the Compassionate Inquiry professional programme developed by Dr Gabor Maté. Her therapeutic work focuses on addiction recovery, trauma integration, and holistic healing, supporting people to reconnect with their bodies, regulate their nervous systems, and rebuild trust in themselves. She has completed over 1,000 hours of yoga therapy training and continues to engage in ongoing education grounded in evidence-based, person-centred approaches. She has also taught yoga and led meditation at international recovery conventions, including events in Cyprus.

Alongside her therapeutic work, Kari-Anne has built a long and successful career in design and visual communication. For over sixteen years she has worked with the global retail brand, overseeing visual standards and brand presentation across multiple stores. Her career has taken her across the UK, Norway, Canada, and Cyprus, giving her a strong international perspective and a deep understanding of how values, clarity, and consistency are communicated visually and culturally. This experience brings practical strengths in organisation, project oversight, and stewardship of an organisation’s public identity.

Kari-Anne’s life has also been shaped by profound personal loss, including the death of her husband Atle of thirty years. These experiences have further deepened her capacity for empathy, resilience, and steady leadership. She brings to the board a calm, grounded presence, a commitment to service, and a belief that recovery is not a privilege for the fortunate but a right that should be available to everyone.

Kari-Anne is passionate about FAVOR UK’s mission to elevate lived experience, challenge stigma, and defend recovery as a legitimate and life-saving outcome. As a trustee, she is committed to contributing her recovery wisdom, therapeutic insight, and international outlook to help strengthen the organisation’s governance, culture, and impact.