Members of the public being trained to carry 'anti overdose' kits
Torbay has become the first place where only women have come forwards to lead the training
Last updated 27th Mar 2025
Torbay's become the first place in the UK to have a female-only team of advisors to teach members of the public what to do if someone's overdosed.
Charities say it wasn't planned, they just appealed for former users and volunteers to give out Naloxone kits and women came forwards.
The kits, now being used across the UK, can help save the lives of those who've taken super-strong synthetic opioids by giving someone extra time whilst paramedics are en route.
This week Greatest Hits Radio was invited to a training session to see how the kits work - and see the training that takes place to encourage more people to carry them
During 2021-23, there were 22 deaths recorded related to drug use in Torbay.
A spokesperson for Torbay Council said: "Naloxone is an opioid antagonist which can reverse the effects of an overdose if administered within a short period. When administered intramuscularly or nasally the onset of action is between 2-4 minutes and the duration of the naloxone is up to 45 minutes.
"The project sees people with direct lived and living experience of addiction (known as the Torbay Naloxone Tribe) trained as naloxone champions to take the life-saving drug out onto the streets of Torbay.
"They also train others to use naloxone and offer a free naloxone kit to those they have trained out on the streets.
"The aim of the project is to widen the supply of naloxone, reduce the risk of drug-related deaths and promote access to treatment, harm reduction and wider support services."
Project founder George Charlton said: “Behind every addiction problem is a person deserving of love, compassion and support and this is at the heart of everything we aim to do through our peer-led naloxone project.
“This is a really important project for the whole Torbay community and one which everyone can play their part in by getting trained up and carrying naloxone; you never know, you may just save a life.”
For more details click here and for NHS advice here