The community consultation associated with the original Bootle Maritime City Challenge bid revealed widespread concern about the problem of drug use.  In particular, a large core group of users of heroin and other injectable drugs was identified as a problem, both to the users themselves and to the broader community who saw themselves as victims of drug related crime. 

A report, carried out by the University of Liverpool, called, ‘Drugs Relapse Prevention: Giving Users a Voice’, detailed research in relation to the needs of the client group within the area.  The study reported the idea that a drugs relapse prevention unit was needed as part of the overall rehabilitation of recovering drug users. 

 The study discovered that although many efforts were made in attracting illicit drug users in order to bring about and maintain a stable lifestyle, agencies were periodically faced with the problem of relapse due to lack of alternative ways for recovering addicts to fill their day, previously taken up by procuring an illicit supply of drugs. 

Bootle Maritime City Challenge acted upon the recommendations of the report and appointed a Co-ordinator to manage and run the new relapse prevention project.  

The Co-ordinator, David Roberts, along with the Bootle City Challenge Steering Group developed a new model for tackling relapse prevention.  The Independence Initiative was the result.