Bristol Drugs Project

What Bristol Drugs Project does

Bristol Drugs Project (BDP) is a registered charity (Reg. Charity Number 291714; Reg. Company Number 1902326) founded in 1986 and headquartered in Bristol, UK. It delivers free, non-judgemental harm reduction and drug and alcohol treatment services to adults across Bristol and, since 2025, Bath and North East Somerset. Core services include needle exchange (via The Drop and a 12+ pharmacy network), structured drug treatment, outreach, the M32 drug-related death investigation service, PRISM chemsex and sexual-health support, the 50+ Crowd service for older substance users, drug testing, and digital training products such as an online ketamine awareness course. BDP is a member of the Horizons partnership, a nine-organisation consortium delivering integrated adult substance-use and family services across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire from April 2025.

BDP's operations are built on a human-delivered, multi-channel service model combining drop-in centres, pharmacy distribution, community outreach, peer-led recovery programmes such as Creative Communities, and online learning modules — with no proprietary technology stack or software platform disclosed in the available information. Service quality rests on the charity's 36+ year brand and clinical accreditations rather than technology moats.

The business model is charitable and non-commercial: services are free at the point of use, with income derived from local authority commissioning (notably Bristol City Council), grants, charitable donations, and fundraising events such as the Creative Communities gala. Distribution is via direct service sites, partner pharmacies, outreach teams, and the Horizons consortium; the pricing/commissioning model is contract-based rather than user-priced, making the organisation highly sensitive to public-sector funding decisions. The entity is led by CEO Lydia Plant (appointed 2025) under a 2026–2031 five-year strategy.

Name

Bristol Drugs Project

Legal name

Bristol Drugs Project Ltd.

Website

https://bdp.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bristol Drugs Project is a UK registered charity founded in 1986 that delivers free harm reduction and drug and alcohol treatment services to adults in Bristol and, since 2025, Bath and North East Somerset, via drop-in centres, a 12+ pharmacy network, outreach, and specialist programmes including The Drop, PRISM, M32 and 50+ Crowd.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Substance Use Harm Reduction and Treatment Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (62142)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE), Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

Keywords

• Harm reduction services
• Drug and alcohol treatment
• Needle exchange programme
• Naloxone training
• Substance use support

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Charitable Grants and Commissioning: BDP operates as a registered charity funded through commissioning by Bristol City Council and other public health grants. Services are provided free of charge to users, funded through public sector contracts and charitable funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bristol Drugs Project is a registered charity delivering free, confidential harm reduction and treatment services to people with drug and alcohol problems in Bristol and Bath & North East Somerset. Core offerings include needle exchange, free naloxone training and kits, one-to-one support, drug testing (The Loop, WEDINOS, reagent kits), specialist services (PRISM for LGBTQ+, M32 Youth Group, The 50+ Crowd, student services, Chemsex support), an online ketamine course, blood-borne virus testing, creative recovery groups (Creative Communities), and professional training programmes.

Product overview

Bristol Drugs Project is a harm reduction charity providing a comprehensive suite of drug and alcohol support services. The organization operates primarily through its core harm reduction services including needle exchange, naloxone distribution, and one-to-one support. Key branded services include The Drop (club and festival harm reduction), Horizons (Bristol's Drug & Alcohol Partnership with 9 organizations), PRISM (LGBTQ+ specialist support), and Creative Communities (arts-based recovery groups). Additional services span youth support (M32 Youth Group), older people (The 50+ Crowd), student services, online courses, training for professionals, drug information resources, drug testing services, and blood-borne virus support. The organization also provides training programs and has recently expanded beyond Bristol into Bath and North East Somerset.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Drop: BDP's club and festival harm reduction service providing information and support to help people stay safer if they choose to use alcohol or other drugs.
• PRISM
• M32 Youth Group
• The 50+ Crowd

Products and services

• Needle Exchange Free and confidential needle exchange service providing sterile injecting equipment, safer injecting advice, wound care supplies, and sharps bins for people who inject drugs. Available at BDP's Health & Harm Reduction Centre and across 12+ Bristol pharmacy locations.
• Naloxone Training and Kits Free training and equipment for naloxone, a drug that reverses opioid overdose effects. Kits include Nyxoid (nasal naloxone) and/or Prenoxad (injectable naloxone), distributed through BDP's centre and outreach to anyone who may witness an overdose.
• The Drop - Club and Festival Harm Reduction Service BDP's sub-brand delivering harm reduction information, drug testing, and support for people using alcohol or other drugs in nightlife and festival settings across Bristol. Active at festivals including Love Saves The Day, Bristol Pride, Valley Fest, and Forwards Festival.
• PRISM LGBTQ+ Drug and Alcohol Support Free, specialist drug and alcohol support service for LGBTQ+ people in Bristol offering confidential one-to-one support, harm reduction advice, safer injecting equipment, and chemsex support for substances including GHB/GBL, crystal methamphetamine, and mephedrone.
• Chemsex Support Specialist harm reduction information and support on chemsex substances including GHB/GBL, crystal methamphetamine, and mephedrone, with associated risk-reduction guidance for individuals and professionals.
• M32 Youth Group Free and confidential youth group for children and young people aged 5-16 living with a family member who uses alcohol or drugs. Includes age-differentiated activities (arts, crafts, outdoor play, cooking) for 5-10 and 11-16 year olds.
• The 50+ Crowd Social Group Weekly social group for people aged over 50 with past or current problematic alcohol or drug use, including shared reading, yoga, creative writing, technology skills, gardening, and arts and crafts. Held at Brunswick Court and other Bristol community locations.
• Student Support Services Free, confidential harm reduction services for university students including reagent testing kits, harm reduction workshops, one-to-one support, and campus drop-in sessions at the University of Bristol Royal Fort Gatehouse, delivered in partnership with Bristol Students Union.
• Drug Testing Services Drug checking services including The Loop Drug Checking Service operating monthly at BDP's Brunswick Square location, WEDINOS postal testing, and reagent kit distribution for at-home substance testing.
• Blood Borne Virus Services Testing and support for Hepatitis C, HIV, and MRSA including dry blood spot testing, treatment referrals, and dedicated blood-borne viruses nurse support.
• Creative Communities Weekly creative and arts-based recovery groups including Rising Voices Choir, Bristol Recovery Orchestra, Oi Polloi Theatre Group, Changing Tunes, Hip Hop Garden, and Recovery in Motion. Partnerships with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Not Saints support Bristol Sober Spaces and joint performances.
• Online Ketamine Course 10-day online course providing evidence-based techniques to help people feel more in control of their ketamine use. Sessions cover Introduction, Reducing Risks, Pros & Cons, Motivations, Goal Setting, Identifying Triggers, Managing Cravings, Social Scenarios, Cycle of Change, and Sustaining Change. Delivered via Mailchimp.
• BDP Training Services Training programmes for organisations and professionals including Drug Awareness Training, Night-Time Economy Training, Naloxone Training, Specific Substance Training, Safer Injecting Training, and Chemsex Training. Customers include social workers, hostel staff, events teams, bar staff, security, and festivals.
• Drug Information Resources Comprehensive drug information covering MDMA, Cocaine, Ketamine, LSD, Magic Mushrooms, 2C-B, Cannabis, Benzodiazepines, GHB/GBL, Synthetic Cannabis, and more with effects, dosage guidance, and harm reduction advice.
• Horizons - Bristol's Drug & Alcohol Partnership Bristol's Drug & Alcohol Partnership providing drug and alcohol support for every person in Bristol, comprising 9 organisations commissioned by Bristol City Council. Operates a central referral system and coordinated service delivery across member organisations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14% of adults using services are from BAME backgrounds
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• Horizons PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025From April 2025, BDP is part of Horizons - a partnership of 9 organisations commissioned by Bristol City Council to support people around drug and alcohol use in Bristol.
• Stand Against Racism & Inequality (SARI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSARI provides equality and diversity training to all BDP staff, supporting the organization's commitment to culturally accessible services for diverse communities.
• Connecting CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital records system used by hospitals, GPs, and health/social care providers. BDP has read-only access to coordinate care while maintaining client confidentiality.
• Bristol ROADS PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership of organisations commissioned by Bristol City Council to provide all drug and alcohol services in Bristol. BDP shares information with partner organizations to improve service user care.
• The ReaderminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational charity bringing shared reading sessions to the 50+ Crowd group twice monthly, providing literature and conversation opportunities.
• Bournemouth Symphony OrchestramoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting Bristol Recovery Orchestra and creative communities music workshops, including joint performances and skill-sharing.
• Not SaintsmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in Bristol Sober Spaces project providing alcohol-free events and music for the recovery community, funded by National Lottery.
• Multiple Bristol PharmaciescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor12+ pharmacy partners across Bristol providing needle exchange services, sterile injecting equipment, and sharps bin disposal. Includes Avicenna, Bhogal, Boots, Kingsdown, Lloyds, Stockwood, and Well pharmacies.
• University of BristolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing specialist harm reduction services for UoB students on campus, including drop-in sessions and reagent testing kits.
• Bristol Students UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity student union partnership for campus-based harm reduction services and student engagement.
• The Loop Drug Checking ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Loop provides drug checking services at BDP's Brunswick Square location monthly, enabling tailored harm reduction interventions based on local drug supply data.
• CircomediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Creative Communities 10-year anniversary gala event in Bristol.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cranstoun: Cranstoun is a UK social justice charity providing substance use, housing, and domestic abuse services. It is a direct peer to BDP in the harm reduction and recovery service space and a fellow smaller UK charity in the same commissioning landscape.
• Release: Release is the UK's national centre of expertise on drugs and drug law, providing free advice and harm reduction services. It is a direct peer to BDP in the advocacy and harm reduction space, operating nationally on drug policy and individual support.
• Change Grow Live (CGL): Change Grow Live is the largest UK substance use charity, providing drug and alcohol treatment across England. It is a direct peer, delivering substantially the same commissioned harm reduction and treatment services as BDP but at much larger national scale, making it BDP's primary large-scale competitor for local authority contracts.
• The Loop: The Loop is a UK drug checking and harm reduction service that conducts drug testing at festivals and events. It is already a direct partner of BDP (operating monthly drug checking at Brunswick Square), making it a close peer in the festival/club harm reduction niche BDP serves through The Drop.
• Turning Point: Turning Point is a UK health and social care provider running commissioned drug and alcohol services, mental health, and learning disability services. It is a direct peer competing for the same local authority substance use contracts as BDP.
• Humankind: Humankind is a UK charity providing drug and alcohol services, housing support, and health interventions across northern England. It is a direct peer to BDP in the drug and alcohol harm reduction space and competes for regional commissioning contracts.
• Forward Trust: Forward Trust is a UK charity providing drug and alcohol treatment, employment support, and recovery services. It is a direct peer to BDP in the substance use treatment and recovery space, particularly around rehabilitation and recovery community work.
• With You: With You (formerly Addaction) is a major UK charity providing drug and alcohol services, mental health support, and gambling harm support. It is a direct peer to BDP in the substance use commissioning space and a key competitor for UK local authority contracts.

Regional players

• Scottish Drugs Forum: Scottish Drugs Forum is a Scotland-based membership organisation working on drug-related harm reduction and policy. It is a regional peer to BDP, comparable in mission and service mix but focused on Scotland rather than England.

Emerging players

• WEDINOS: WEDINOS is a Welsh drug testing service that provides postal drug sample analysis. It is a peer in BDP's drug testing service line (BDP uses WEDINOS for postal testing) and an emerging specialist in the same harm reduction testing category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BDProads
• Facebookfacebook.com/bristoldrugsproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/horizons-bristol
• Instagraminstagram.com/thedrop_bdp

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bristol Drugs Project