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UK – CAUK Area

North and South of England; Wales, and Essex.

Recovery in London by Alan F. London, England.

While I was getting sober in a treatment program in London, England, my friend Andrew was going to Los Angeles. I asked him to contact another friend of mine, whom I had not seen since 1981, back when I was using. I heard he was in recovery as well. I spoke to him from the treatment centre and he told me he was at the first meeting of Cocaine Anonymous and how popular it had become in the USA. I knew then, I wanted to start Cocaine Anonymous in London.

I spent eight months in treatment, three months in a primary centre, followed by five months in a halfway house. I went to AA and NA meetings every night. When I left the halfway house on May 31st, 1991, I started my life over again. I went back to work doing a job I had done at 15. I worked in a shop and went to meetings 5 or 6 times a week. I got into service making tea, greeting and acting as treasurer at the meetings. I was telling people I wanted to start Cocaine Anonymous in London. I asked my sponsor if it would be OK, he said no- so I changed my sponsor.

I was soon introduced to Lisa C. who had been in Los Angeles in the summer of ’91. She met Johnny S. at an AA meeting, he asked her if she would be interested in starting CA in London – she said yes. Lisa and I talked about starting CA, so she asked Johnny for a starter pack.

Lisa received the starter pack in November of ’91. She got five people together and we met at my apartment. We decided to start a meeting. I booked a Hall on Hinde Street for the first Wednesday of the New Year; January 8th. (1992)

We voted Lisa in as Secretary and I was elected Literature Secretary.

Taking this commitment seriously, I flew to Los Angeles to pick up the literature. I went to the Cocaine Anonymous World Service Office met KD and took home key rings, literature and a set of 12 Steps and 12 Tradition banners.

At our first CA meeting there were 27 people. We now have an average of 20 people per meeting. We’ve also started a Monday night meeting in Chelsea with approximately 20 people per week. We hope to start another 3 meetings and our aim is for 7 meetings in London this year.

I was fortunate to be able to go to the World Service Convention in Montreal. I was very scared – I didn’t know anyone. I had the best welcome possible and the start of three wonderful days. I would like to take this opportunity.

The United Kingdom Area was ratified as a C.A. Area on August 28, 1996 by the 13th World Service Conference.

Listen to Lisa C. (UK) talk about how CA got started in the UK.

T-shirt – 2009 Brighton, UK

Brighton 1 Day Convention, October 11, 2009 From the Private Collection, Paul M.

Categories Europe, UK - CAUK Area Leave a comment

Magnet – CAUK 16 – 2008

March 14 – 16, 2008, CAUK 16, “The Steps We Took,” in Brighton, UK. Gavin, Convention Chair Dawn, Vice Chair Julie, Registration Private Collection, Rose J

Categories UK - CAUK Area Tags 2008, cauk, magnet, memorabilia Leave a comment

T-Shirt – CAUK20 – 2013

Private Collection, Rose J

Categories UK - CAUK Area Tags 2013, cauk, t-shirt Leave a comment

T-Shirt in a quilt – CAUK 2006

April 7-9, 2006, “Keep It Simple,” United Kingdom Area, East Sussex Brighton, England Richard K., Convention Chair Gavin C., Registration Jack B., Program David P., Hotel Liaison Ian Y., Outreach …

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Categories Europe, UK - CAUK Area Tags 2006, cauk, quilt, t-shirt Leave a comment

T-Shirt – 2012 CAWS Convention

28th C.A. World Convention: Keys Of The United Kingdom: May 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 2012, Birmingham, UK Private Collection, Rose J

Categories 2012 World Convention, Europe, UK - CAUK Area Tags 2012, cauk, caws, memorabilia, t-shirt Leave a comment

T-Shirt – 2012 CAWS Convention

28th C.A. World Convention: Keys Of The United Kingdom: May 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 2012, Birmingham, UK Private Collection,  Rose J.

Categories 2012 World Convention, Europe, UK - CAUK Area Tags 2012, caws, convention, UK Leave a comment

T-shirt in a Quilt – CAUK 1999

March 26th-28th, 1999 “Alive and Kicking” C.A. 7th Annual United Kingdom Convention Beaufort Community Centre, Beaufort Road, Southbourne, Bournemouth, Dorset, England T-shirt in a quilt sold in the live auction …

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Categories 2019 World Convention, Europe, UK - CAUK Area Tags 1999, England, t-shirt Leave a comment

Special Event Hoodie – 2012 CAWS Convention

28th C.A. World Convention: Keys Of The United Kingdom: May 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 2012, Birmingham, UK Private Collection,  Ruby C, Utah

Categories 2012 World Convention, Europe, UK - CAUK Area Tags 2012, convention, England, hoodie, memorabilia, UK Leave a comment

Mug – 2012 CAWS

From the Private collection, Rose J., Idaho 28th C.A. World Convention: Keys Of The United Kingdom: May 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 2012, Birmingham, UK

Categories 2012 World Convention, Europe, UK - CAUK Area Tags 2012, caws, coffee, convention, memorabilia, mug, UK Leave a comment

Toy Bus – CAUK 2005

CAUK 13, “Thus We Grow,” April 1, 2, 3, 2005 in Brighton, UK “Thus We Grow,” 13th Annual CA UK Convention, April 1-3, 2005 in Brighton, UK Registration: Philip L. …

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Categories Europe, Hong Kong Area, UK - CAUK Area Tags 2005, brighton, bus, cauk, toy, UK 2 Comments

Flyer – Convention UK, 2018

14th Annual Convention: “No Human Power,” March 16 & 17, 2019

Categories Europe, UK - CAUK Area Tags 2019, annual, bournemouth, convention, flyer, UK Leave a comment

Group Unity Event Poster – 2018

May 28, 2018, Upshire, UK, Unity Event by the Upshire Primary Purpose Group of CA.

Categories Europe, UK - CAUK Area Tags 2018, group, logo, poster, theme, unity, upshire Leave a comment

Convention Poster – 2016

CAUK 23 – March 25, 26, 27, 2016, Birmingham, England, UK

Categories Europe, UK - CAUK Area Tags 2016, birmingham, cauk, logo, poster, UK Leave a comment

Convention Flyer – 2016

CAUK 23 – March 25, 26, 27, 2016, Birmingham, England

Categories Europe, UK - CAUK Area Tags 2016, birmingham, cauk, flyer, logo, UK Leave a comment

Convention Flyer – 2017

Sussex District Convention- 19th August, 2017 in Portslade

Categories Europe, UK - CAUK Area Tags 2017, districk, flyer, sussex, theme, UK Leave a comment

Key Tag – 2017 – UK

CAUK Convention: Shipwreck to Shore, June 23-25, 2017

Categories Europe, UK - CAUK Area Tags 2017, cauk, UK Leave a comment

Convention Logo – 2017 – UK

CAUK 24 Convention: Shipwreck to Shore, June 23-25, 2017

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T-Shirt CAUK 1 – 1993

1st Birthday Convention, One Step At A Time, January 16, 1993

Categories UK - CAUK Area Tags 1993, cauk, t-shirt, UK Leave a comment

CAUK 9 & 10 – 2001 – 2002

CA IN THE UK – 9th Annual UK Convention of C.A., March 16, 17, 18, 2001 (right) CA IN THE UK – 10th Annual UK Convention of C.A., April 19, …

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Categories UK - CAUK Area Tags 2001, 2002, cauk Leave a comment

CAUK 1 – 1993

1st Birthday Convention, One Step At A Time, January 16, 1993

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About CAWS Archives

The purpose of the C.A. Virtual Museum” is not only to promote the value of the Cocaine Anonymous archives and highlight interesting C.A. objects from around the world and their representative C.A. Areas, but also to give C.A. members greater access to their collective history.

Disclaimer: Any opinions or interpretations visitors may hear on this site are solely those of the speaker or participant involved. All members are free to interpret the recovery program in their own terms, but none can speak for the local Group or C.A. as a whole. In the spirit of Tradition Six, C.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution.

This site is maintained by the CA World Services Archive Committee.

© 2024 The Cocaine Anonymous Virtual Museum. Disclaimer: In the spirit of Tradition Six, C.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution. The information presented on this website, such as online tools and tutorials are not an endorsement nor is Cocaine Anonymous affiliated with or any of the companies and/or services offered on the site. Any links to external websites or services are only provided as a convenience to our members. The online tools and videos are strictly informational and presented in the spirit of collaboration by fellow Archivists wishing to be helpful to other Archivists.