Just over a year ago, the UK was at the height of the first wave of the Covid pandemic.
At the time, most of us didn’t know how it would all play out and how long it would last for.
Since then we’ve learned a lot about the nature of the pandemic and the things we have needed to do in adapting our lives and work to stay as safe as we can and minimise loss of life
The impact of Covid-19 brought home to us almost immediately of the need to be very visible online for those who needed urgent help with gambling addiction. It also showed that information needed to be as clear and as accessible as possible.
While we adapted ways of working to go online with those in our immediate orbit, it was clear to us that we needed better forms of communication to reach those who needed urgent help or who would be needing it as a result of lockdown.
We then took a decision to invest in a new brand and website to help achieve that purpose and back up the amazing work our frontline staff have been doing and are still doing in facing into the challenge of Covid.
We are delighted to share with you the news that we have completed updating our brand identity and launched a new version of our website.
We have also changed our name (slightly) and dropped the Association from our title.
From now on we’d simply like to be known as Gordon Moody.
Our purpose in doing a brand and website redesign is to ensure we are serving the people who need our services as effectively as we can. And at the same time for our partners and supporters – and the world in general – to know who we are and how they can help us.
For our 50th anniversary year we have commissioned People’s Voices Media to create 50 stories for 50 years.
These are stories of lived experience from people who have had their lives changed through undergoing treatment with Gordon Moody.
You can view the first two here.
Through one-to-one and group storytelling sessions, people affected by gambling share their experiences of how gambling and the stigma surrounding it has affected their lives.
Tackling the long shadow of Covid
Another learning from the past year is that the number of people who need the specialist help that Gordon Moody provides – both online and in a physical setting – is far greater than many were accounting for.
So, we wanted our charity to be well placed to tackle the long shadow of Covid and to give the best service we can, with the resources we have, to make a significant impact in tacking gambling-related harm.
This is the start of a journey for us and the people who need us in providing more treatment to help people reclaim and rebuild their lives.
We don’t see this as solely about refreshing a brand or building a new website. For us, tacking gambling addiction together is something we all have a part to play in and it will need to be done together in as many ways as possible.
We are hoping over time to build on this brand and website refresh to build treatment capacity and resources we can share with partners.
This year – as well as it being our 50th anniversary year – we will be opening a women’s residential treatment centre and looking to expand our services. We need wider help for us to do this.
Whether it’s giving us feedback on what we are doing, working with us on projects or funding them then we appreciate all the support you give us.
Most importantly, the people who get the chance to rebuild and reclaim their lives free from gambling addiction in a safe, supporting environment value it incredibly and cherish that chance for the rest of their life.
Please feel free to contact one of the Gordon Moody team if you would like to help us or have any comments on our new look.
Together we can tackle gambling addiction, if you our a loved one are in need of help please reach out for support. We are open and we are here to help.
Until next week stay safe,look after yourselves and each other