Nacoa UK

'Reaching mum's death age of 36. Somehow it really caught me off-guard.

'Growing up, it was better not to mention my mum, through fear of upsetting the family closest to me.

💙 Read Charlotte's full piece: nacoa.org.uk/experiences/...

🚨 Very excited about this. My new podcast - exploring addition, recovery and resilience - coming very soon.

The stories are raw, emotional and inspiring. These conversations are so moving, I hope you enjoy them and find comfort listening to them. @nacoauk.bsky.social

So proud to share this with you 💙

‘In Their Words: COA Lives’ with @jonashworth.bsky.social

Subscribe today! nacoa.org.uk/in-their-wor...

Would you run a half marathon through London landmarks for children affected by a parent’s drinking?🏃‍♀️🎖

Spaces have just been released for TEAM NACOA for the London Landmarks Half Marathon #LLHM! Sunday 12 April 2026

Sign up now! nacoa.org.uk/places-avail...

Few of my books get sold so progress to my target of £500 to donate to @nacoauk.bsky.social by giving them my royalties is so slow- but I reached £250 a while ago and JustGiving gave me a badge! Thanks to a chap called Chris Horn one got sold the other day and got me to £290. No badge tho:(

'What I didn’t fully understand at the time was that change has to come from within – no matter how much love, care, and effort you give.'

Thank you Joe for sharing with such honesty. Your love shines through!

Read Joe's powerful piece here: nacoa.org.uk/experiences/...

As a COA, appearances don’t often match the reality.

We guess at normality.

@quintboa shares what it was like growing up with his dad Bruce Boa, facing his own addiction, and finding recovery through storytelling and therapy.

🎙️The Children of Alcoholics Podcast, out now.

‘When you’re a child, you don’t understand that it’s the alcohol controlling them.

‘You just feel like you’re not enough to make them stop.’

Read Rebecca's extraordinarily powerful piece here: nacoa.org.uk/experiences/...

#URNotAlone

The Boy Who Turned Into A Kite - A new poem exploring the difference between then and now and being brought up by an #alcoholic father ...

#poetry #micropoetry #blueskypoet #poetry #poetrycommunity @nacoauk.bsky.social

'Mother is what I now know as the ‘functioning alcoholic'.

'She’d work, take us to school, pick us up, and then begin to drink about 2-3 bottles a night...'

💙 Read Penny's full piece: nacoa.org.uk/experiences/...

We were called into the The The Telegraph offices to share about children affected by a parent's drinking.

An honour to be down to the last few for their annual charity appeal in 2025!

A moment to reflect on the incredible community that has got this movement this far! 🙏

'I grew up in a household where alcohol was abused.

For me, raising money for Nacoa was about more than charity.

It was about giving back to a cause I wish I’d known about sooner.’

Thank you, Dean, for all your support 💙

Read Dean's full piece 👇

nacoa.org.uk/climbing-for...

‘There’s only two things I’m sad to miss —Your 18th birthday and your wedding...’

'And then we both sobbed.

'It made me realise, he didn’t choose this. Why would anyone choose this?

💙 Full piece here: nacoa.org.uk/experiences/...

Got my latest post up; finally (both as in that it took an age to write & in the tech not fighting me. Going increasingly off the platform). It wasn’t an easy one but with Great North Run coming up, I wanted to write more about why I support @nacoauk.bsky.social

open.substack.com/pub/whathapp...

'I could never understand why I couldn’t have a ‘normal’ mum like all my friends and why my mum never loved me.'

Read Mandy's impactful and powerful piece here: nacoa.org.uk/experiences/...

My father’s just a man
But once he was an ogre
Who nibbled at my dreams
Until he thought them over

Now I am just a man
Who should have been an ogre
But I feed people dreams
To stop them being over

#writers #blueskyrelay #micropoetry #vss #vss365 #poetry @nacoauk.bsky.social

You'll not be nothing:
just a wastrel like me
Dad's drunken bad grammer
still hurts from the 80s
but he was right
fight or flight
I did not become nothing

#micropoetry
@nacoauk.bsky.social

#vss #vss365

'He did do some awful things after he had drank...

'But I remember my dad before, before the drink consumed everything and that was a totally different person.'

💙 Sam's full story: nacoa.org.uk/experiences/...

The BIG taboo = cutting addicted parents.

It's not your fault. You deserve to live your own fulfilled life.

hello9a.podbean.com

Literally everywhere, staff and businesses are dealing with the impact of parental addiction.

Researcher Zara shows that this isn't just practical...

The experience shapes the way we view ourselves and the places in which we exist.

nacoa.org.uk/acoa-and-the... #AlcoholAwarenessWeek

Join us in 10 minutes over on instagram.com/nacoauk. 🌟💙

Nacoa Lunchtime Live: Alcohol Awareness Week 2025 Special - Nacoa Lunchtime Live: Alcohol Awareness Week 2025 Special. To mark Alcohol Awareness Week 2025 Nacoa is hosting a special edition of Lunchtime Lives

Tomorrow 🌟 A special Lunchtime Live about COAs and the Workplace.

To mark Alcohol Awareness Week, we're opening up a conversation that often goes unspoken:

'Parental Addiction and the Workplace: The Hidden Impact'

Find out more: nacoa.org.uk/nacoa-luncht... #AlcoholAwarenessWeek

'I could not tell you her favourite film. But I could tell you the measurements of alcohol that she preferred.

'As a child, I lied for my mother. As an adult, I am inclined to be the protector.''

💙 Belle's full story: nacoa.org.uk/experiences/...

A brilliant event this evening at House of Books and Friends in #Manchester with Sophie Calon discussing her new book with Zoe Lambert and Dr Piers Henriques from @nacoauk.bsky.social - huge thanks to Maria Roberts for organising and making me aware this was happening!

Nacoa UK (@nacoauk.bsky.social) National charity helping everyone affected by a parent's drinking. A movement for change 💙

Thank you to Liam from @nacoauk.bsky.social who came to deliver some training to our Pastoral team after school today. Really insightful and practical advice

#safeguarding #EduSky

The fight goes on for children affected by their parent's drinking.

We'll wont stop carrying the torch and growing this movement for change.

So rest in peace, Kim. 🙏💙

🏃‍♂️ Smash summer fitness goals and change lives for children affected by a parent's drinking.

We've booked places for the incredible #TeamNacoa on the 2025 Cardiff Half Marathon!

Join the team now: nacoa.org.uk/nacoa-places...

'I remember growing up and seeing Mum fall asleep on the sofa every night after three or four bottles of wine.

This piece really speaks for itself. But never underestimate the courage it takes to put your story out there.

Read Ryan Secker's full story here: nacoa.org.uk/experiences/...

📣 Amazing guests this week!

Chaired by amazing Ceri Walker, with:

🌟 @LotiNambombe – Nacoa Ambassador & CEO MILK Education

🌊 Kathryn Georghiou – Filmmaker of Changing Tides

🏃 Scott Murdoch – Fresh from conquering the Marathon Des Sables

🎟 RSVP: nacoa.org.uk/sign-up-for-...

There is no national plan in place to support COAs - some of the most hidden and hurting young ppl in our society. Why? 🤷‍♂️

Listen to our interview with Maya Parker by subscribing to the Children of Alcoholics podcast on your preferred app.