A charity has helped more than 150 former drug addicts prepare for the world of work.

Westminster Drug Project (WDP) announced the end of its Giving Something Back (GSB) project which was supported by the Big Lottery Fund.

The scheme aimed to support people to move away from substance misuse towards learning new skills and rebuilding their lives by taking part in voluntary placements in the community.

The programme included giving training to people from Harrow and six other London boroughs including Brent, Barnet and Enfield.

WDP chairman Yasmin Batliwala said: “Employment is critical to helping people overcome dependence and stay drug free.

“The challenges to do with rejoining mainstream society are huge and one of the most significant barriers to overcome is to find employment.

“Developing drug and alcohol users’ skills, needed to rejoin the world of work, greatly assists building their self-confidence.

“In turn, this route to recovery helps people feel valued in the traditional sense - by facilitating their solid contribution to society.”

In the future the charity hopes to develop the project to help people with a history of substance misuse progress onto national welfare schemes.