29 Townhead, Kirkintilloch, G66 1NG
OUR HISTORY
The Addiction Recovery Centre (ARC) first opened its doors in June 2002. It was founded by Seamus Harkin, whose vision was to create a safe, accessible, walk-in service where anyone affected by addiction could seek help without barriers, stigma, or long waiting times.
His belief was simple but powerful: recovery should be available to all who need it, at the moment they are ready to ask for support.
From the outset, ARC was built on lived experience. The centre quickly became operational with the help of dedicated volunteers who had themselves walked the difficult path of addiction and recovery. This peer-led approach created an environment of trust, understanding, and hope, allowing individuals to feel truly heard and supported as they began their own recovery journeys.
ARC’s impact did not go unnoticed. In 2011, the organisation received formal recognition for its outstanding work when it was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award. Seamus Harkin and Stewart Savage represented ARC throughout the award process, highlighting the centre’s commitment to community-based recovery and the life-changing support it provided.
The following year, in 2012, ARC was again recognised at a national level, winning the Dods Charity Champion of the Year Award. This honour was presented at the House of Commons by John Bercow. Seamus Harkin and Stewart Savage travelled to London to accept the award on behalf of everyone involved with ARC, marking a proud milestone in the organisation’s history.
In 2025, Seamus Harkin sadly passed away. His loss was deeply felt by the ARC community and all those whose lives he had touched.
Today, ARC remains committed to preserving and continuing his legacy by keeping the doors open, maintaining the founding values of compassion, accessibility, and peer support, and ensuring that anyone struggling with addiction can still find help, hope, and a pathway to recovery.
