Following her own experience of alcoholism and her journey into recovery, Noreen Oliver MBE founded the BAC (Burton Addiction Centre) O’Connor centres in Staffordshire. She has extensive experience in the field of rehabilitation and integrated services.

Over the last 14 years, she has developed a Recovery Community in Staffordshire which has received numerous awards, and rehabilitated thousands of individuals and families, from detoxification through to independent living and into employment.

In 2010 she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Centre for Social Justice and in 2011 became the first woman to be named an Honorary Freewoman of the Borough of East Staffordshire.

Noreen is chair and founder of the Recovery Group UK and co-chair of The Recovery Partnership, which reports directly to The Inter-Ministerial group on Drugs. She is also founder of the O'Connor Gateway Charitable Trust, which in September 2011 opened Langan’s Tea Rooms, a social enterprise and training centre located in the heart of Burton on Trent.