About Us

Cranstoun provides services for adults and young people who need support around alcohol and other drugs, domestic abuse, housing and criminal justice.

Our job is to make people feel safe and to empower them with the tools to create lasting change and reduce harm.

Our work is person-centred, with lived experience at the heart of it. We aim to inspire people to live healthier, safer lives, to stand for social justice and to remind every person that they are worthy of respect and compassion.

Our History

We have been making a difference for more than 50 years…

In the late 1960s, a young man walked into a Surrey doctor’s surgery in desperate need of help. Dependent on heroin, the man was fighting to survive in a world that closed its doors – unwilling to see past the stigma to the frightened person within.

Dr Michael Dixon didn’t turn him away. Instead, he and his wife Annie opened their own front door. Annie prepared meals while Michael provided reassurance and care.

Together, they offered a lifeline to someone with nowhere else to turn, and that simple act of kindness started something extraordinary.

In 1972, Michael and Annie adapted their property, Cranstoun House, into a home for people experiencing dependency on drugs and alcohol. They rallied the community, lobbied for better treatments, and founded the charity which would become Cranstoun.

Today, we support more than 46,000 people every year, going beyond substance use to help people through homelessness, domestic abuse and other social issues.

How We Work

Education, innovation, harm reduction, recovery, growth and community are central to our services.

With innovative approaches and programmes that have been honed over 50 years, people from all walks of life can rely on our knowledge, expertise and experience.

The goals of those people who use our services are our priority. Our services are always person-centred, ensuring the correct pace and approach for all involved.

Whether you’re in need of specific support and services, tools and education, an uplifting community of like-minded individuals or you need advice on how to better support a family member or friend, we’re here to reach out a helping hand.

Our Values

Cranstoun’s values underpin everything that we do to empower people and empower change. They are key in ensuring that we are always striving for the best for the people who use our services.

Ambitious:

Having a strong desire or determination to succeed

Collaborative:

Working together to achieve a goal

Compassionate:

Showing genuine concern for someone else and their needs

Creative:

Coming up with new ideas and solutions to resolve a problem or do something in a better way

Respectful:

Showing consideration or regard to something or someone

Let’s reduce harm, stand up for social justice and empower change, today.