Tony Adams MBE, Chair of Taking Action on Addiction - a Forward Trust Campaign

'Addiction in the UK' - a landmark report into the scale of addiction across Great Britain

In July 2026, The Forward Trust and Crest Advisory released a special landmark report that explained the scale, complexity, and barriers to people seeking drug, alcohol, and gambling support in the UK.

As Chair of Taking Action on Addiction — a Forward Trust campaign — Tony provided a poignant Foreword to the report based on his own personal experiences of addiction and recovery.

"I speak from experience. For most of my career as a professional footballer, I was addicted to alcohol. In 1996, following an almighty binge that started with England’s elimination from our home European Championships, I somehow found the determination, inspiration and support to get and stay sober. I haven’t touched alcohol in the last 30 years. I have lost many good people to alcohol and drugs, and I have had the privilege to witness and help thousands more to find recovery."

“We also see it as our duty to raise public and policy awareness of addiction, the impact it has on individuals and communities, and people’s capacity for recovery. We do that through our ‘Taking Action on Addiction’ campaign.

"Please join the conversation. By talking about it in the open, together we can bring addiction and the harm it causes out of the shadows. We can reframe this issue with kindness and understanding, and we can help individuals and families coping with addiction know they are not alone."