A candlelit procession is to be held to remember people who died from drugs and to campaign for urgent action for better recovery services.

Campaign group Faces and Voices of Recovery Scotland are holding the procession and will plant 800 white crosses tonight in memory of those who have died of drug related deaths in Scotland since April this year.

The group plans to add 100 new crosses each month until a final official total is published by the Scottish Government in July 2020.

Favor is holding the event at Springburn Parish Church as part of its ongoing ‘You keep talking we keep dying’ campaign highlighting the need for action.

Annemarie Ward, Favor Scotland CEO, said: “Our fifth monthly gathering will mark the deaths of those who died and show support for the grieving families.

“Behind this year’s awful 800 since August statistic are 800 people and their families. By planting crosses for each of those who died this year and holding this walk, we hope to remind people and politicians across Glasgow that we need urgent action before another 1,000 people die this year.”

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Last year a record 280 men and women died from drug related deaths in Glasgow. The figure for 2019 is expected to rise above 300.

A hustings event with election candidates will take place at the church this evening.

Joe Fizpatrick, Public Health Minister is expected to attend.

Natalie McLean, Community Director at FAVOR Scotland said: “We won’t let politicians forget about drug deaths victims because there is a general election. Instead of more political football, we want action to tackle drug deaths and we will keep holding events until that happens.This is about more than politics; people’s lives are at stake.”