Saturday saw Inverness hosting the annual Recovery Walk Scotland. To begin the day, there was the opportunity to remember the people who have been lost to alcohol, drugs and suicide during the Roses Ceremony. This was incredibly poignant; I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. Then the brilliant choir (in purple) sang to lift our spirits, before we began the walk, lead by a pipe band.
It was only when we were on the other side of the river that we realised how many people had turned out to the day. There were people and banners stretching along both sides of the River Ness. It was a sight to behold. Another great viewpoint was walking up Haugh Road, there were people ahead and in front as far as we could see.
A photo taken uphill of a crowd walking along Haugh Road, heading to the Northern Meeting Park 
A photo taken downhill of a crowd walking along Haugh Road, heading to the Northern Meeting Park
Coming back to the Recovery Village, the pipe band continued to play at the entrance of the Northern Meeting Park, until everyone was finished the walk.
In the Recovery Village, there were lots of fun stalls for people to visit, do activities and have something to eat and drink. The free t-shirts from HADP went down well!
The speeches and entertainment on the stage were brilliant, and Torridon really put on a great hoolie as the headliners!
Saturday was an incredible day, heartbreaking at first, “grief is unfinished love”. The overwhelming feeling from the day was of hope. We heard of people asking for “hope to cope”. We were encouraged to be ambassadors of hope and to be Recoverists. Hope was in the air, with everyone having a great time celebrating recovery.
HADP co-ordinator and ‘Recoverists’ on the stage, saying thanks to attendees and sharing stories of hope and personal experience 
Recovery village at the Northern Meeting Park 
People with their faces showing through holes at a photo board with a Highland scene. 
Torridon play on the Recovery Village stage
See you at the Recovery Walk next year!