fund raising drive before it opens.

Fairhaven, at Victoria Street in Hamilton, will provide much-needed treatment for female addicts who would normally go abroad.

President of the Fairhaven Board of Directors Ms Pat Lynn was seeking support from Hamilton Lions on Wednesday.

But she made it plain that the work will not end when Fairhaven opens and more than $250,000 a year will be needed to run it.

Ms Lynn has first hand knowledge of the problems that drugs can cause. Her daughter is a recovering drug addict.

She told the Lions: "I personally have walked down a road the parent must travel when the underworld of drugs threatens and almost destroys the family unit.

"Several years ago I almost came close to losing one of my daughters to the dragon they call drugs.'' Fairhaven is the first residential treatment and care centre in the Island to treat women for drug and alcohol addiction.

"It is an alternative to rehabilitation programmes overseas. It is the kind of facility the Island currently lacks but desperately needs,'' she said.

"Rehabilitation overseas can give a feeling of loss when a person returns to the Island. It is disconnecting. When recovering at Fairhaven the women will have activities geared to love, understanding and support from family and friends.

"Fairhaven will enable women to recover in their own environment, including family and friends and bonding. They will be able to reach out for help to recover but also hold onto their relationships with their children.

"In recent years thousands of dollars have been spent on rehabilitation programmes overseas.'' Ms Lynn stressed that the decision to concentrate solely on mothers was vitally important for the community as a whole.

Ms Lynn said Government has already invested $250,000 in the scheme and there has been support from local churches including St. Paul's AME Church which donated the building in Victoria Street, Hamilton.

The centre will cater to 12 women for up to a year each, depending on their needs. It will employ three full-time staff and volunteers.

She said: "Every woman that walks through the doors of Fairhaven will have a new chance at life.

"Every women that we help will mean one more family is saved, one less child will suffer, there will be one less crime to punish and one more caring citizen to carry on the fight to help us saves other lives.''