The Benzo Research Project (BRP) is an unincorporated charitable association. Though our project was founded in July 2021, the trustees agreed to constitute our organisation in September 2023. Formalising BRP in this way will enable us to run the project smoothly and in line with the Charity Governance Code, secure necessary resources and funding, and better equip us to fulfil our mission.
Click here to read our constitution.
Note: Trustee addresses have been redacted for privacy reasons. If you require the full document, please contact us at [email protected].
Our Mission
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Our VisionTo see a world where drug education, support services, and policy are both evidence-based and centred around reducing harm to young people's health and wellbeing.
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Board of Trustees
Monica Richards
Founder and Project Lead
Joanna Bright
Co-Head of Research
AJ Martin
Co-Head of Research
Julie Uszpolewicz
Founding Trustee
"The cancellation of GCSE and A-Level exams, as well as increased unemployment and housing prices has led to feelings of hopelessness and uncertainty, leading to a concerning rise in BZD consumption."
– Brighton & Hove Safeguarding Children Partnership (BHSCP)
Our research
We have collected 73 anonymous testimonies since March 2022 through our story-sharing platform hosted by our partner Drugs and Me. Testimonies were analysed to provide a clearer picture of young people's lived experiences with benzos, which is detailed in our report. These experiences continue to direct our outreach and harm reduction work.
Our FOI Team sent out over 300 data requests to NHS Trusts and local councils under the Freedom of Information Act (2000). We have collated all contact details and raw responses in a publicly-accessible database. Our Research Team plans to analyse the responses in due course.
Our report can be found here: 'The Benzo Research Project: An evaluation of non-medical benzodiazepine usage in UK young people (18-25)'. |
"There is a need to re-evaluate current strategies of tackling benzo dependence to include context-based methods of harm reduction, increase educational opportunities, and further encourage NGO outreach strategy development."
– AJ Martin, Co-Head of Research
Co-Head of Research, AJ Martin, speaking at our report launch event – December 2022. Photograph taken by Nathan Frank.
Copyright ©️ 2024 Benzo Research Project
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