1957 2nd Convention held at Belle Vue Hotel, Cheltenham, May 11th -12th, 1957. The second annual convention held over two days in May of 1957.   Before you read the below, A.A Archives of Great Britain which is held at York university arranged for the audio to be digitised so I could listen to the full … More Speakers at the 2nd Annual A.A. Convention on England and Wales in 1957.

My partner was on to me, she said, you’re an alcoholic, if you carry on drinking, you’re gonna end up dead…and I thought how dare you. I just done my third drinking driving. Me and my best mate had been on it all day. He owned a pub. We went over to Epping Green and … More Bernie’s story

On or around July 1995 I went to my first A.A. meeting. I gave myself the sobriety date of August 1995, but think I stopped in April. The truth is I had drunk substantial quantities of alcohol on a daily basis for over 23 years and was struggling with my physical health and oblivious to … More Mike M’s story

My name’s John, I’m an alcoholic, I don’t know my exact sobriety date, but I know I put it down in October 2003, following a historical relationship with alcohol that was never kind to me. My drinking was not what I would consider normal, I don’t know what normal drinking is. When young it was … More Yoga John’s story

I had many losses at an early age, I got into solvent abuse and was expelled from school, then at the age of 14, I decided not to take anything. I didn’t for two years and got very low.  At 16 I was in a club in Stamford Hill with my dad he bought me … More Mick C’ story

I was born in Hackney in 1957, and we moved to Welling and went to school in Sidcup [where most of my friends supported Charlton the local team]. My mother was a violent alcoholic, her drinking got worse towards the end of her life. My first memory of being alive was about 5 or 6 … More Tim K’s story

Just a little preamble to start with, back in the 1930’s Bill W met Dr Bob in Akron, that was the beginning of Alcoholics Anonymous. YET! I hear you shout, or whisper, or murmur how did it start in Great Britain?  It isn’t spoken about much or often. So, we’ve put together a quick history … More How it started in Blighty.

Towards the end of my drinking, I had a TV show on Sky, sang their 5-year anniversary song, I had not long left the Cherry Bombz. The TV bosses mentioned getting deals with clothes shops, meaning free clothes, who wouldn’t like free clothes? Me! Because I can’t go and wear someone else’s because I’ll be … More Anita’ story

The story of the London telephone office. If you want to read certain sections, then click on the links below. If you wish to read all at once, then scroll further down. 1948 – Beginnings of the London Helpline told by Roland H 1955 – Central Service Office was formed – told by Joe E … More History of London Telephone Office

In 1948 Alcoholics Anonymous of Great Britain got its first helpline, some believe it to be the first helpline in this country, it pre dated the Samaritans. How did this happen? I hear you shout….well, that was Bill H, the alcoholic Greengrocer, as he is called in A.A. comes of age. Bill was 12 stepped … More Bill H – The Alcoholic Greengrocer