IT IS not just people addicted to drugs who need help and support.

Parent Support Link is an organisation that offers support to family members and partners of people who have been affected by someone else’s drug addiction.

Now the Southampton-based charity has been nominated for a St George’s Day Award to recognise the work they do.

The Daily Echo has launched the Southampton St George’s Day Festival and Daily Echo Community Awards, which celebrate the people who make the Southampton City region better through their selfless work.

Parent Support Link have been nominated in the category of Biggest Improvement to Quality of Life in the Southampton City Region.

Christine Tebano, the service manager and the charity’s founding member, said: “To be nominated for the award is is lovely. We support and inform people who are affected by someone else’s drug or alcohol use.

“The way we do that is in lots of different ways, we have a 24/7 telephone contact line that is operated by a person so there is someone at the end of the line 24 hours a day. We also have confidential face to face appointments, group work, regular group sessions and workshops on specific subjects that will help them.”

“Although there is an amount of information available some people just don’t know where to look so we point people towards factual information rather than scaremongering.”

The group was formed more than 20 years ago and since then has changed and grown to meet the needs for people in and around Southampton.

Mrs Tebano added: “The fact that we have been around more than 20-years indicates there is a continuing need for the service.

“Times have changed and when we started it was all about heroin and cannabis, now 20 years later there are more NPS (New Psychoactive Substances) which we have to understand and keep up to date with the trends.”

More information on Parent Support Link is available at parentsupportlink.org.uk or by ringing 023 8039 9764 any time of day or night.

The winners of the St George’s Day Awards will be announced at the St George’s Day Festival on the day itself, Saturday, April 23.

The festival is taking place at The 1865 in Brunswick Square, Southampton.