Steve Rowe from Baildon spent a year ago receiving treatment for alcohol dependency at a facility in Bradford.
At the latest gathering, he was among hundreds of participants at Bradford Live assisting with the nation’s largest event commemorating overcoming addiction.
The man, who has now achieved 12 months without alcohol, was among those involved with the UK Recovery Walk 2026, an event that drew attendees from throughout Britain and international visitors to the city.
Following his treatment, Rowe discovered support through recovery groups in Bradford that enabled him to reconstruct his life.
He initially attended Alcoholics Anonymous but felt the members were at more advanced stages of their recovery.
Upon joining Create Strength Group Bradford, he found peers at various points in their journey, from those just beginning to individuals with a decade or more of sobriety.
His struggles with alcohol intensified after he lost employment due to an epileptic seizure and spent an extended period recuperating from shoulder surgery.
A hospital admission proved pivotal.
His daughter and sister were present when medical staff warned that continued drinking would negate the effects of his medication.
Within a fortnight of discharge, he had arranged admission to a rehabilitation centre in Bradford.
The transformation over the past year has been significant.
Family members have observed the change and expressed pride.
Those attending the groups provide mutual assistance and care for one another.
The UK Recovery Walk featured a three-day programme encompassing a national recovery conference, celebratory dinner, recovery village, the main walk itself and a recovery ramble through the district.
Participants travelled from across the United Kingdom and further afield, including representatives from Finland.
Dave Memery, chief executive of UK Recovery Walk, explained that the organisation aimed to demonstrate that recovery is possible and often occurs in plain sight.
He noted that addiction frequently appears visible while recovery tends to be concealed within meetings and support cafés.
The event sought to bring recovery into public view.
The walk itself covered a 1.1-mile course through the city centre before returning to Centenary Square for live performances, family activities and community festivities.
Memery emphasised that attendees included individuals who are brothers, sisters, husbands or wives, integral members of families and communities, as well as those who may have concerns about their own consumption of alcohol or substances.
The message was that recovery remains achievable and is actively happening within Bradford.