Brixton in south London has one of the largest drug problems in Britain, but no proper needle
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Rose de Freitas reports
Recently, a contaminated batch of heroin hit the streets of Britain.
Thirty-nine people died from it, so Mainliners are handing out information
warning against it. The mobile ambulance is the perfect place to distribute
this kind of information. Direct, on the streets.
"We fill the converted ambulance van with works - this includes needles,
syringes, alcohol swabs, sterile water ampoules, and all kinds of surgical
stuff as well
photos of mobile at work: nikki kastner
as condoms. Three people go on the van, usually one man and always a
nurse." Cathy Gillies, Mainliners' Head of Services, is describing
how their mobile needle exchange outreach gets done.
Since the only Brixton needle exchange pharmacy, Dan Davis, closed down
last May, Mainliners' outreach work in the area has become essential.
"Originally, we just had a stand in the middle of Brixton. But it
got too difficult. A bunch of users would descend on us - for some reason
they always seemed to appear at once desperate for their works - and we
couldn't cope with the demand. And there
was concern from people in the street about these 'undesirables' all shouting and ganging together. Something had to be done. So we
