"Primary Purpose" and "Back to Basics" groups and meetings

The following meetings (GB) are listed on various "Primary Purpose/Back to Basics" directories (prominent amongst which is the Dallas Primary Purpose movement). The directories themselves are accessed via websites (some identifying themselves as being associated with Alcoholics Anonymous, others not so). These sites carry quite explicit, misleading and unproven information on AA and on AA recovery rates (and this to AA's detriment). This has have been brought to their attention by aacultwatch (together with evidence to the contrary - see following links: AA recovery rates; Primary Purpose - so far we have received no response). The inclusions of such separate directories are contrary to AA traditions and moreover a clear breach of one of AA's three legacies ie unity. We consider these groups (and the groups included in their directories) as being divisive, dishonest, and quite disingenuous, and moreover so far removed from the guiding principles of AA as to no longer constitute genuine AA groups. We are quite aware that some groups which propagate this misleading propaganda do not use either of the above titles in their group names. Equally however there are those that do utilise these denominations but which are in no way associated with this perversion of AA; this question must be left finally to each individual to make the appropriate judgement. However we would advise newcomers (and those who are in contact with newcomers) to be aware that groups which bear such titles (as well as those that use the terms "Big Book Study group", "Newcomers" or "Beginners" meetings, “Road to Recovery” - but bearing in mind the above caveat) should be approached with some caution. The profiles of these cult groups have been covered in some detail on our website.

England

Primary Purpose Big Book Study Group
Beckenham, Kent
Wednesday 19:15 hours
Downham Way Family Church

Line by Line Big Book Study Group
Brighton
East Sussex
The Crypt
St. George's Church
St. George's Road
Thursday 6:30 – 7:30 pm

Primary Purpose Group
Brighton, UK
Monday 7.30pm Millview Hospital

The Coleshill Primary Purpose Group
Coleshill near Birmingham
Sacred Heart Church
Wednesday 8:00 PM

The Halifax Primary Purpose Group
Halifax, West Yorkshire
The Ebenezer Centre
St. James Road

Maldon Big Book Study Group
Maldon, Essex

Eccles Big Book Study Group
Eccles, Manchester UK
Tuesday at 8:00 PM
Friends Meeting House
The Polygon, off Wellington Road
Eccles, Salford

Primary Purpose Big Book Study Meeting
259 Pitsmoor Road
Sheffield,
Mondays 7pm - 8.30pm

Southsea, Portsmouth
Monday
7:00-8:00 pm Back To Basics Meeting
St Simon's Church
Waverley road,
Southsea, Portsmouth

Southport Tuesday
8:00 pm-9:00pm. Back To Basics Meeting
Quakers Meeting Rooms
Court Road
Southport

Barnoldswick, Lancashire Tuesday
7:30-8:30 p.m. Back To Basics Meeting
Holy Trinity Church,
Skipton Road,
Barnoldswick

Women's Primary Purpose Group (Enfield)
Enfield, Middx
St Andrew's Parish Hall, Room 3, Silver Street
Tuesdays 7:30pm - 9:00pm

Enfield Primary Purpose Big Book Study
Enfield, Middx
Convent of the Holy Family
London Road
Saturdays 7:00pm - 8:00pm

AA Primary Purpose Big Book Study Group
Perranuthnoe, Cornwall
Wednesday 7.30-9.00pm
Perranuthnoe Church Hall

Purley There Is A Solution Big Book Study Group
Purley – South London & Surrey
Purley Reform Church
Brighton Road
Mondays 8:00 PM

Sunday Night Big Book Study Group
Stratford on Avon
Mulberry Street
Sunday - 7:30 – 9:00 PM

Toddington Primary Purpose
Toddington
Saturday 7:00 PM

Scotland

Aberdeen Big Book Workshop
Aberdeen
Thursday 7.30 - 9pm
St Peters Roman Catholic Church
Castlegate

Aberdeen
Wednesday
8:00-9:30 pm Back To Basics Meeting
St Marks Church
Rosemount Viaduct

Big Book Study Meeting
Edinburgh
Monday 8pm,
Apostolic Church Hall
New Street, Musselburgh

Priesthill Big Book Study,
Priesthill Community Hall
Priesthill Road
Pollok
Glasgow

Big Book Study Meeting
Edinburgh
Monday 8pm,
Apostolic Church Hall
New Street, Musselburgh

Motherwell Primary Purpose Group
Motherwell
The Baptist Church
Windmill Road
Monday night 8pm

Big Book Study
Dundee
Lochee West
Monday night 8pm

Wales

Johnston Primary Purpose Big Book Study
Johnston
Pembrokeshire
at "The Oasis”
Near Johnston Baptist Church
Tuesday evenings 8.00pm to 9.30pm

VAUXHALL: LONDON BEGINNERS

The latest addition to our Pantheon of Shame:

Area: GREATER LONDON
Town: VAUXHALL
Day: THURSDAY
Postcode: SW8
Time: 19.00
Group Name: VAUXHALL: LONDON BEGINNERS
Open or Closed: All mtgs 'open'.
Address: Ashmole Community Hall, 2 Meadow Rd SW8



This group is up to its old tricks again - yet another promotional event featuring named guest speakers and with a £7.00 charge for the privilege of listening to some "personalities" recycling the latest perversion of the AA message. The colourful, if not garish, flyer (see above) promoting this event helpfully points out that:

"There are many AA conferences/conventions held around the world. A common misconception of these gatherings is that they are regular AA Meetings. Conventions and Conferences are special events, which require a substantial amount of funding. This convention is self-supporting. Attendance is voluntary and as responsible AA members, we pay our own way".

Apparently this rationale is intended to justify charging for entry. Well they've got one thing right - this little shindig can by no stretch of the imagination be considered a "regular AA meeting" if an AA meeting at all! Again an attempt is made to blur the lines between what constitutes an AA meeting and what might be considered a business meeting or a purely social event. There is nothing to suggest in the promotional material that members are not in fact being charged to go to a meeting. In AA conventions there is a clear separation between the two, the cost of running the AA meeting met by "voluntary contributions", and any other charges (relating to the provision of entertainment, food, beverages etc) being separately itemised, and comprising a ticket price. In this fashion no AA member is excluded from attending an AA meeting per se for whatever financial reason. It is open then for each person to decide whether they wish to attend any accessory activities but these latter fall within the province of "outside issues" and therefore subject to the usual economic constraints.

Just for the hell of it we've listed the AA traditions this group has broken (and this purely on the basis of the flyer):

One, Two, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Ten, Eleven, Twelve

Not bad! Only 9 traditions out of 12 - must try harder!

Cheers

The Fellas

(our thanks to the AA member who drew our attention to this)

PS The good news - apparently attendance at this event is "voluntary" - Phew! What a relief!

Cult meetings - Greater London

This list is far from comprehensive and we will be adding to it (and amending where necessary) as we receive the relevant information.

Greater London
　
SW19
Wimbledon: Design for Living Group
Sunday 10.30 William Morris Meeting Rooms, The Broadway
　
W8
Kensington: Road to Recovery/As Bill Sees It
Monday 19.30 Kensington United Reformed Church, Allen St
　
Kensington: Road to Recovery
Wednesday 19.30 Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church, Kensington Church St
　
W11
Notting Hill: Road to Recovery/ A Vision for You
Friday 19.30 St Johns Church, Lansdowne Crescent
　
N21
Winchmore Hill: There is a Solution
Monday 20.00 Winchmore Hill Methodist Church, Green Lanes
　
Winchmore Hill: Primary Purpose Beginners
Friday 20.00 Winchmore Hill Methodist Church, Green Lanes
　
SE10
Greenwich: Road to Recovery
Tuesday 19.30 Devonshire Drive Baptist Church, Devonshire Drive
　
SW4
Battersea: Beginners
Tuesday 19.30 St Barnabas Church, Lavender Gdns

Cult meetings - Surrey

Guildford: Beginners
Monday 20.00 St Mary's Church Community Hall, Aldershot Rd

Purley: There is a Solution
Monday 20.00 United Reformed Church, Brighton Rd

Purley
Wednesday 20.00 United Reformed Church, Brighton Rd

Purley: There is a Solution Big Book Study
Saturday 09.30 United Reformed Church, Brighton Rd

(The Purley group is involved in running non-AA conventions (in breach of AA guidelines) with the usual imported US Primary Purpose speakers. Fliers of these events have been circulated at AA meetings (again in breach of AA Traditions) and the speakers themselves prominently advertised (again in breach of AA Traditions - the one about "principles before personalities"). No proper accounting methods have been employed to account for the distribution of the monies charged for attendance at these gatherings - in some cases for substantial amounts)