A teenager whose mother died with alcohol addiction earlier this year is spearheading a campaign for a new detox centre in Co Derry.
Community workers in the city have warned that high levels of addiction and mental health problems have worsened as a result of isolation caused during long periods of Covid-19 restrictions.
Tamzin White has launched a petition urging politicians at Stormont to deliver on a promise to fund a new dedicated addiction treatment centre.
The 18-year-old's mother, Louise, died aged 40 in January after years battling alcohol and drug addiction.
Tamzin also has two younger sisters.
Her mother had sought treatment on a number of occasions, and her family had pleaded with her to stop drinking and taking drugs. But the addictions were too strong.
Three of her mum’s brothers and a nephew also died as a result of addiction or suicide.
"I'm doing this for my mum. My mammy would want me to help other people now."
"There wasn’t enough help for my mummy," she said.
"And now there are lots of people I know, friends, there's so many people in our town that are struggling with addiction, suicide, poor mental health. We need help.
"What people with addictions need is a detox centre and they need the care after the detox to keep them on the road to recovery."
In January last year a political deal, 'New Deal, New Approach', that laid the foundations for the resumption of the Stormont Executive, made a commitment to a new addiction centre in the city.
The teenager said politicians have to listen to appeals for that help to be made available as a matter of urgency to prevent further deaths.
"They need to listen," she explained.
"I’m doing this for my mum. My mammy would want me to help other people now. I don't want anyone else to go through what I'm going through, no one should have to."
One of the places Tamzin’s mother sought help was the Northlands Centre on the Waterside area of the city.
It moved to what was supposed to be temporary accommodation 25 years ago.
The manager, Tommy Canning, said financial help for a new centre has been promised many times in the years since.
Derry is a deeply divided city, but addiction knows no boundaries. Creed, gender or age are no barriers.
Alcohol accounts for the vast majority of addictions.
Social and economic deprivation have been constant factors. But the isolation caused by Covid lockdowns has added to the pressure for staff at the centre.
"We usually have about 1,550 counselling sessions on a normal year, that's up by 40% this year to about 2,200," Mr Canning explained.
"The problem is critical. So when people ask 'has it got worse', I'm not sure how much worse it actually can get, people are dying because of addiction.
"The reality is that we believe more people can get recovery, more families can recover, more people can live if there is provision for a new centre based here in the northwest."
Around 10,000 people live in the Creggan area of the city, with around 40% aged under 25. There are few job opportunities and educational attainment is low.
Community workers say the problems have been compounded by Covid, and that addiction and mental health services are desperately needed.
Stevie Mallet manages St Mary’s Community Centre in the area.
"Parents are reporting to us now about kids' increased use of alcohol and drugs at home because of lockdown," he said.
"We have a number of kids who are suffering serious mental health issues who can't get proper support services, and the problem just seems to be getting worse daily."
Mr Mallet said that while the problems are growing, services to deal with them are virtually non existent.
After years working with very limited resources, he is sceptical about promises of financial support.
"It tends to be the case that promises of financing is always slow to come and whenever it does come it’s too little, it’s too late, and it’s never for long enough.
"It’s always something just to put a plaster on it for a while, but it never cures the issue," he said.
