During Addiction Awareness Week (23–30 November), Taking Action on Addiction – a Forward Trust campaign – hosted a vibrant celebration of creativity and recovery at Hoxton Hall, London. The evening highlighted the extraordinary role that arts and music can play in sustaining long-term recovery.
Hoxton Hall was buzzing with energy on Wednesday 26 November as more than 100 people gathered for Recovery’s Got Talent — an uplifting night of music, poetry, storytelling and connection. The Victorian theatre came alive with warm light, cheers, and the hum of anticipation as performers, supporters and friends of The Forward Trust took their seats. A further 250 people watched our livestream on social media during watch parties across some of Forward's support hubs across the regions.
Fenika - a graduate of the Brink of Change/SHARP, volunteer and now staff member at The Brink our community cafe and support hub in Liverpool
The showcase followed a variety-style format, with each of the 12 performers taking the stage for five minutes. This fast-paced rhythm created a rich and captivating mix of acoustic sets, spoken-word poetry, hip-hop, and powerful pop vocals. Every act brought something unique — and every performer delivered with heart and humility. It was a thrilling reminder of the depth of talent within the recovery community, and of how creative expression can be a lifeline in sustaining recovery.
Performer Peter (of Peter and Colin) impressed with their soothing sounds
All performers were selected from people with lived experience of addiction to alcohol, drugs or gambling — many bravely sharing personal stories before stepping into the spotlight. Their honesty set the tone for a night where the stage performers and the audience were as one.
Forward’s CEO, Mike Trace, and Executive Director of Recovery, Julie Muir, opened the evening together as co-hosts, welcoming the audience and setting out the shared purpose of the event.
Adding his trademark warmth and enthusiasm, Tony Adams MBE — Forward’s Chair of Trustees — spoke about the power of community and conversation in the journey of recovery. Earlier in the week, Tony had launched our Addiction Awareness Week campaign with his moving video in support of, ‘The Conversation That Changed Everything’, our social media campaign to get the nation talking about addiction more openly without shame, stigma or fear.
Tony Adams - 'Mr Arsenal' and ex-England football captain is the Chair of Trustees at The Forward Trust
One of the highlights of the night came from double MOBO award-winning artist Guvna B (pictured), who performed two electrifying tracks, captivating the audience with his spellbinding, sharp and street-smart lyricism – one of which also touched on his own lived experience of addiction.
Guvna B - The double MOBO award-winning hip-hop artist wowed our audience
Alongside amazing performances, guests were treated to delicious food from lived experience ambassador Illario, whose catering business, Casa Tua, has become a beacon of what recovery can make possible. Once caught in the cycle of offending, he is now thriving — and generously shared both his dishes and his story (watch Illario's National Reunion share).
Complimentary non-alcoholic drinks were provided by Navraj (Nav) Dhesi of No More Pretending, a charity supporting South Asian communities in the Midlands. Nav’s drinks brand, Nektar, hit the spot with guests. Nav was interviewed by Channel 5 News this week (24 November) as part of our wider media coverage gained from Addiction Awareness Week, where he talked about the importance of being open and truthful with loved ones about addiction worries.
During the interval, guests explored a gallery of powerful artworks created through Forward’s recovery project in Medway. We were also proud to showcase the work of Oscar Wyndham Lewis whose immersive animation loop charted his recovery journey through a series of striking hand-painted images.
The evening closed with a heartfelt thank you to everyone who made the event possible — our staff, partners, performers, lived experience ambassadors, and the wider recovery community whose courage and creativity continue to inspire our mission.
We’d like to thank all the attendees that supported this event, our colleagues for their curation and event organisation, and the wider recovery community who helped inspire and collaborate on this inspiring moment to celebrate recovery.
Explore the photo gallery below to relive the energy of the night — and if you feel inspired by what you see, please consider supporting our work or sharing the campaign to help us reach even more people.
Recovery's Got Talent - Photo Gallery
Guests and venue
Performers
Stage talks and introductions
