Come along to a very special morning at AMH Promote, Bangor – this Saturday! we will be serving tea & coffee, or why not treat yourself to breakfast.
Also available to buy, will be lots of plants grown in our very own garden. Spread the word and bring all your friends – you will be made very welcome!
AMH Promote in Bangor is a training centre which delivers training to adults with learning disabilities, with a view to progression to employment options, social inclusive groups and/or further education.
Come along to AMH New Horizons in Newtownards on Friday 29th April @ 11am. This is your chance to quiz the candidates before we go to the polls in 2 weeks!
AMH Skills Coach Pauline Matthew and Award Winner Ken Stephens
Three clients from AMH New Horizons North Down & Ards were recognised at the annual CCEA Celebrating Achievement Awards at Titanic Belfast last week.
Ken Stevens, Heather Moore and Jacqueline Rutherford achieved success in their CCEA Creative Crafts qualification which was completed within AMH New Horizons.
They were nominated by AMH as an acknowledgement of the high quality of their work and progression after completing their qualification.
The award ceremony recognises the success of learners and the part played by teachers, lecturers, tutors, centres and family members. Each Learner was presented with a special certificate and award.
Ken Stephens – QCF Creative Crafts Level 2
Ken has overcome many difficult challenges, not lease his diagnoses of Fybromyalgia. He has discovered a real talent for Tiffany Glass and has now set up his own studio at home where de does commissions for friends and family.
Jacqueline has in the past found it difficult to leave the house and was socially isolated but has found coming to AMH NEw Horizons has given her a sense of purpose. She has discovered that she has a real talent for photography. Jacqueline is in the process of joining Newtownards Camera Club to pursue her interest in photography further.
Heather Moore – QCF Creative Crafts Level 2
Heather has obtained immense benefit from her attendance at AMH New Horizons. Heather has completed a Train the Trainer course at Seacourt Print Workshop to enable her to facilitate Community Art workshops. She has also taken up a placement at Seacourt to gain experience in a professional artist’s workshop.
Jenny Brady, Treasurer, Ballyclare Golf Club; Callum Clark, AMH; and Christine Bartley, Lady’s Captain, Ballyclare Golf Club
Ladies of Ballyclare Golf Club teed up an impressive £2,205.06 for AMH to help educate school children about the importance of positive wellbeing and looking after their mental health.
Commenting on the year-long fundraising effort, Lady’s Captain of Ballyclare Golf Club, Christine Bartley said:
“I am delighted and humbled by the huge amount of generosity, support and effort our members have put into raising awareness of mental health here in Northern Ireland and reducing the stigma surrounding it. We selected AMH as our charity of the year as they campaign on behalf of those people affected by mental ill health and are leading the way in regards to educating the general public and local politicians about it. People who are affected by mental ill health should never feel alone, ashamed or abandoned as a result of their condition. That’s why it is so important that we work together as a community to support those going through it by listening to their needs and sympathising with them – just as we would for anyone with a physical condition.”
Research has shown that one in four adults in Northern Ireland will show signs of mental ill health, with the prevalence of it here being 25% higher than in England.
Christine Bartley continued:
“I would like to extend a huge thank you all of our members for helping us achieve such a fantastic fundraising total and showing their avid support every step of the way.”
The funds raised by Ballyclare Golf Club, including an individual donation of £1,000 from Christine’s work; Emerald Music, will go towards Action Mental Health’s Healthy Me project which promotes social and emotional wellbeing in children through prevention and self-help.
Events and Fundraising Officer of AMH, Callum Clark said:
“Now more than ever young people are increasingly susceptible to mental illhealth as a result of mounting societal pressures. We are therefore hugely grateful to Ballyclare Golf Club for helping us to equip the youngest members of our society with the knowledge needed to nurture their mental and emotional wellbeing that our Healthy Me programme provides. We cannot thank the members of Ballyclare Golf Club enough for donating their time and money to Action Mental Health over the course of the last year and to Christine for choosing us as their charity.”
“On the Rip” is a unique art project funded by PHA through the Clear project, it uses a car art medium to tackle the local lad/ ladette culture of young people going out at weekends “on the rip” The project challenges attitudes to drug and alcohol use, drink driving and road safety.
St Patrick who will sail up the Erne in a currach, arriving at Enniskillens St Patricks day parade on Thursday was one of the first to visit Fermanagh New Horizons “On the Rip” art exhibition this morning.
“Don’t Look Back “ is a mixed media art installation created by the young people on our BOOST programme.
Using a car art medium, the art piece captures the fun and happiness of positive emotional well- being, with the front of the car emblazoned with positive imagery, from which a lifesize sculpture of a dancing young man and woman emerge. In stark contrast , the back of the car conveys all the negativity of poor metal health and captures the haunted, tormented experience associated with it. A 3d art piece behind the car, with snakes and demons and tormentors completes the art installation, and aptly illustrating why our young people are advising that you “ Don’t Look Back”
Health Minister Simon Hamilton, with Summit Chair Barry Turley and AMH’s Chief Executive David Babington
Let’s Resolve Mental Health Services … Together
Over 250 people from all Northern Ireland, with an interest in Mental Health packed the Stormont Hotel Ballroom on 24th February for NI’s first Mental Health Summit, organised by AMH. There were representatives from across the voluntary and statutory sector, as well as political representatives, carers and service users, all hoping to participate in the discussion and make a difference.
The event focuses on the future of our mental health services and provided delegates the opportunity to influence the Departmental Mental Health Strategy in NI.
Special guest speakers included Health Minister Simon Hamilton; Natasha Devon MBE, Mental Health Champion for Schools in England; and local business woman and mindfulness coach, Brenda Shankey. Dr Lorna Montgomery from Queen’s University along with ten AMH clients presented the main findings and recommendations from AMH’s recent research project – Regress? React? Resolve?
Natasha Devon MBE & David Babington
Brenda Shankey; Professor Deirdre Heenan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University and Professor Siobhan O’Neill, Professor of Mental Health Sciences at Ulster University
There were also a number of panel discussions.
1st Panel Discussion : Dr Lorna Montgomery, Queen’s university; Natasha Devon MBE; Paul Green AMH; Andrew Dawson, Head of Mental Health Policy Unit & Mental Capacity Bill Project, DHSSPS and David Babington AMHThe 2nd panel included Kieran McCarthy MLA, Alliance Party; Mike Nesbitt MLA, UUP; Clare Hanna MLA, SDLP; Alastair Ross MLA, DUP and Maeve McLoughlin MLA, Sinn Fein.
Following lunch the afternoon session was kicked off by a special video message from Alastair Campbell, best known as Tony Blair’s Spokesman & Press secretary.
Attendees then participated in 1 of 5 workshops to voice opinions, raise hard questions and contribute to a working document, which will now be submitted to the DHSSPS and the Health Minister. We aim to prioritise mental health in the next Programme for Government and gain a commitment to resolving mental health service provision during the life of the new Assembly.
Come along to a very special morning at AMH Promote, Bangor – this Saturday! we will be serving tea & coffee, or why not treat yourself to breakfast.
Come along to AMH New Horizons in Newtownards on Friday 29th April @ 11am. This is your chance to quiz the candidates before we go to the polls in 2 weeks!
