I am drafting this blog post on the long journey home from Derry/Londonderry, via Belfast, Liverpool and Chester, reflecting on the total pleasure of being able to participate in the ARC Fitness 2024 Conference.
The day began for me, with a short stroll across the river Foyle via the relatively new Peace Bridge. This elegant curving foot passenger structure, which was not here when I last visited in 2010, really opens up the city. The setting for the conference was that of the Millenium Forum Theatre. As the name suggests, it was opened in 2001 but has an architectural splendour akin to many of the much older variety musical hall theatres.
There was a palpable noise within the theatre as proceedings were about to get underway. It had the same expectant cacophony of that which foretells a music gig, albeit the drinking fuelling the chat was that of coffee and tea, rather than alcohol. The room was awash with smiles, purple t-shirts, greeting hugs and fervent chatter.
The contributions from the floor were genuinely informative, interesting and inspiring. They reflected a great curation by Gary Rutherford, Founder of ARC Fitness, and his team. A lovely mixture of the academic, familial, personal and professional. Including a phenomenal introduction to the wild water recovery of Maz Kolbe Scotland, an armchair-style podcast chat, some great videos and animations, a delightful mother’s tale, and a wee contribution from yours truly.
However, my big takeaway was all the warmth of the human interactions. I met friends of old and acquaintances new, shared brews, hugs and tales. I was privileged to join a vibrant and extensive community celebrating the marvel of collective change, sharing and supporting. It was a community standing up and being proud of so many achievements. ARC Fitness is transformational organisation [see below], and today it was the air that we breathed.
There was a magical and emotional mid-conference moment, when those in recovery were resoundingly applauded as they came up to the stage and received a celebratory medal.
I saw everything that day, that reinforced my previous understanding of ARC Fitness as one of the great examples of what is a Recovery Community. How they are a unique blend of their people, place and passions. The sense of ARC Fitness not only as a community, but one giant family, was afforded to me in the pleasure of accompanying some of the team and Gary and Sarah’s family for a delightful post-conference meal. The day’s riches were also added to by a serendipitous catch-up via a stroll round the city walls and a coffee with a friend whom I first met in 1983.
I am already looking forward to returning.
To see and feel the excitement of this conference check out this film clip (If sound doesn’t come on immediately, click top right).
