Brian Dudley, chief executive of Broadway Lodge outlines how he has been helped by Pilotlight.

Why and how did your charity start?

The charity started in 1974 to treat people who had become dependent on alcohol. It now provides residential treatment, counselling and support services for alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, gambling and co-dependency both to individual sufferers and concerned others.

As the first in this country to provide treatment based on the Minnesota Model, the organisation has had more experience than any other agency in the country at working with this effective programme. It works with up to 300 people a year. Eighty per cent of people with alcohol issues complete the course.

Set in its own grounds on the outskirts of Weston-super-Mare, Broadway Lodge is a 33-bed residential centre and has an additional 22 places in adjacent houses.

Why did your charity approach Pilotlight?

We approached Pilotlight as we had always been run as a charity and needed to develop a more business-like approach. In particular, we needed a business plan. As I was a new chief executive, I needed help in this development area.

What did your work with Pilotlight involve?

The main area of work was to write a five-year business plan to enable growth of the charity.

How has the charity benefited from working with Pilotlight?

We have benefited massively from the process and have almost doubled our turnover in three years. We also now have three additional successful income streams as a result. The whole experience has enabled me to grow into the chief executive role and gain confidence.

The opportunity to work with high profile business leaders was inspirational for the charity in allowing a clear direction and plan to be formed.

The Pilotlight experience has also engaged the trustees and created a “buzz” among the rest of the staff.  

What lessons have you learned from the experience?

We learned that you get out what you put in and the more you are willing to learn the more benefit you will get from the Pilotlighters, who have so much knowledge and experience which they are willing to share.

What impact has this had on your clients?

Although our clients would not be able to quote directly the result of the Pilotlight process, it has improved the quality of our work and outcomes for our clients and enabled us to treat more people and provide better services.

To read about clients' stories, click here

What would you say to other charities/social enterprises thinking about working with Pilotlight?

I would recommend any charity to become involved in the process. The chance to work with such knowledgeable people who share their vast experience is priceless, but more importantly you will only get out what you put in and if committed you will see many benefits.

To find out more about Broadway Lodge and how it helps people to overcome addiction, click here to watch a video.

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