Clients at Action Mental Health’s New Horizons Derriaghy have been enjoying an active and productive summer.

Members of the crochet group used their crafty skills to create a number of beautiful sensory blankets which were a big hit with the residents of the Louisville Nursing Home on Belfast’s Glen Road.

The sensory blankets were created to provide a visual and tactile stimulation for those residents who have dementia and have provided great interest and comfort among the men and women at the home.

Meanwhile, clients have been enjoying a number of outings in recent weeks, including the Coca Cola factory in Lisburn, where they got to the see all the processes behind the production of arguably the most famous beverage in the world. AMH is fortunate to have the support of Coca Cola HBC as a corporate partner.

They also got to see behind the scenes of the Tayto factory in Tandragee, and got to sample the product – this time, one of Northern Ireland’s most famous exports!

One of Northern Ireland’s most well-known and highly respected family run businesses recently threw its weight behind a nation-wide focus on mental health well-being.

Gordons Chemists, who have been supporting their customer’s health and well-being for 39 years, decked out all its 53 branches across Northern Ireland in Action Mental Health’s trademark purple for Mental Health Awareness Week, 13^th-19^th May 2019, raising over £5000. The pharmacy chain was helping to raise awareness among staff and local communities on how best to support and care for their emotional well-being.

The focus came as the public spotlight shines ever greater on the rising incidence of mental ill-health in Northern Ireland, with Gordon’s Chemist signalling its desire to step up and take action in partnership with Action Mental Health.

On Friday, May 17, all 53 stores united in one massive day of fundraising and both Action Mental Health and Gordons Chemists are pleased to announce that a phenomenal £5,070 was raised!

Owner and co-founder, Robert Gordon, commented: “Action Mental Health changes the lives of those living with mental ill health and we are delighted to support the great work of this local Northern Ireland charity”.

Action Mental Health’s Fundraising & Engagement Coordinator, Alex Murdock, said: “First and foremost I want to say a massive thank you to all of the staff at Gordons Chemists for really getting behind Mental Health Awareness Week and of course, to all their incredible customers for supporting them. Together you raised an absolutely outstanding amount of money that will go back into your local communities as Action Mental Health continues to promote emotional well-being and resilience right across Northern Ireland.

She added: “It has been an absolute pleasure working alongside Gordons Chemists and their whole team. Thank you for helping us to step up and take action on mental health. We honestly could not support our local communities without businesses and people like you by our side.”

Last week Action Mental Health New Horizons Downpatrick welcomed staff and clients from Kwintes in the Netherlands – it’s the eleventh year we’ve hosted a group from Kwintes Guidance and Relief!

While staying in Killough, they’ve been out and about taking in all the wonderful sights  NI has to offer. Of course, they needed to call in and see their friends at NH Downpatrick. We spent time touring our garden, the garden centre and staff and clients sat down with a cuppa to properly welcome our guests. It was particularly interesting sharing ideas and creative new ways we each support our clients in our organisations.

Kwintes provides supported housing and holiday packages for people suffering from mental ill-health in the Netherlands – you can find out more on their website.

Thank you for taking the time to come out and see us! We look forward to catching up with you next year!

Titanic Hotel Belfast has made smooth sailing of its partnership with Action Mental Health in the past year, recently sealing a deal for a second consecutive year of helping the charity support the emotional well-being of its employees and the local community.

The landmark hotel enjoyed a successful first year in partnership with AMH, undertaking myriad fundraising events and raising awareness – despite a busy calendar of events following its opening in 2017.

Staff powered full steam ahead with their charity efforts and raised an outstanding £3,000 as a result. But keen to do even more they decided to keep up their support for Action Mental Health into a second year and have much more planned to do that.

The second year of fundraising got underway with a coffee morning in May to mark the annual Mental Health Awareness Week, and they have many more exciting plans in the pipeline for the rest of the year.

Wonderful staff from our corporate partner Danske Bank came out to AMH New Horizons Downpatrick’s garden centre to give it a summer spruce. Our potting shed was beautifully re-stained, the grass bank cut back and our polytunnel was given the weeding of its’ life. The gang from Killeaton House were fantastic -racing to see who could weed and strim the fastest. They were so competitive that they barely stopped to have a proper tea break!

Thank you again for coming folks!

Danske Bank has been our Corporate Partner since 2016. Their fundraising supports our Healthy Me programme in schools across Northern Ireland.

A 23-year old man who travelled the length of Ireland to raise money for charity has donated a portion of the spoils of his mammoth effort to Action Mental Health.

Tiernan McGowan went on a 355-miles cycle ride and run between Ireland’s most southerly and northerly points – Mizen in County Cork to Malin, Donegal, raising well over £5000 according to the last count. Newry’s Southern Area Hospice will also benefit from Tiernan’s amazing feat of fundraising.

The Queen’s University Belfast graduate revealed his expedition was inspired by the hospice’s  tender care of his granny and an uncle.

Tiernan, who studied Spanish and Portuguese, got a great chance to see the country en route, while also experiencing legendary homespun generosity.

“There was one point where I was coming up this big hill outside Dromore in Tyrone, this woman just stopped at the side of the road, thinking I had a flat tyre, and offered to help me out. But she got chatting to me and ended up giving money to the fundraiser. She didn’t have a clue who I was but she was kind enough to give me money for this,” he said.

It wasn’t an easy ride though and he admitted to a number of physical and mental barriers during his arduous journey.

“On the fourth day I had 125km to do that day and about an hour in my knee kind of went, but I kept going, got over the border to Fermanagh and it started getting really bad but I just pushed through and went over the border.

“A lot of it was about the mental aspect, just knowing you have to keep going and keep planning it thinking at each stage it’s just another little bit to the next one. If I’m doing it again I’ll give myself about three weeks through!’”

Action Mental Health’s Fundraising and Communications Manager Jonathan Smyth was delighted to hear the charity is set to benefit from the proceeds.

“We’d like to thank Tiernan for his epic efforts and for donating funds to AMH. It’s people like him who help us continue in our mission to make a positive difference to people’s mental health and well-being.”

The generosity of the people of Northern Ireland has tipped the funds raised for Action Mental Health through the 2019 Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon to over £60,000.

Participants’ sponsorship money has brought the total raised to support Action Mental Health’s services to £60,652.20 – but money continues to trickle in so we’re still counting – and we’re ever so grateful!

The generosity of the people of Northern Ireland has tipped the funds raised for Action Mental Health through the 2019 Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon to over £60,000.

Participants’ sponsorship money has brought the total raised to support Action Mental Health’s services to £60,652.20 – but money continues to trickle in so we’re still counting.

Around 18,000 people took part in the five different events of the 38^th annual event on Sunday, May 5th, including the full marathon, the wheelchair race, team relay, walk and fun run. Some 5,000 took part in the full marathon, marking record numbers for the event which began in Belfast in 1982.

Around 500 people donned AMH colours for the event, raising funds for Action Mental Health which was one of five designated charity partners – and the amount raised so far has the charity glowing with appreciation, knowing the impact that these vital funds will have.

Action Mental Health Chief Executive David Babington has been overjoyed by the support shown in its first marathon charity designation.

“Action Mental Health was lucky enough to clinch one of the five designated charity spots of the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon 2019 and because of that opportunity, a staggering amount has been raised to help fund vital mental health services provided by Action Mental Health.

“Over £60,000 has been raised so far by the generous people of Northern Ireland who have once again dug deep to support us – be they individuals, community groups, our faithful corporate partners and other businesses who selected Action Mental Health as the recipient of their marathon efforts in both physical and fundraising terms.

“We are indebted to each and every one of them, and we also want to place on record our deep appreciation to Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon which opened the door to such a great opportunity, not only to raise funds, but also to raise awareness of mental health in Northern Ireland.”

Around 18,000 people took part in the five different events of the 38^th annual event on Sunday, May 5th, including the full marathon, the wheelchair race, team relay, walk and fun run. Some 5,000 took part in the full marathon, marking record numbers for the event which began in Belfast in 1982.

Around 500 people donned AMH colours for the event, raising funds for Action Mental Health which was one of five designated charity partners – and the amount raised so far has the charity glowing with appreciation, knowing the impact that these vital funds will have.

Action Mental Health Chief Executive David Babington has been overjoyed by the support shown in its first marathon charity designation.

“Action Mental Health was lucky enough to clinch one of the five designated charity spots of the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon 2019 and because of that opportunity, a staggering amount has been raised to help fund vital mental health services provided by Action Mental Health.

“Over £60,000 has been raised so far by the generous people of Northern Ireland who have once again dug deep to support us – be they individuals, community groups, our faithful corporate partners and other businesses who selected Action Mental Health as the recipient of their marathon efforts in both physical and fundraising terms.

“We are indebted to each and every one of them, and we also want to place on record our deep appreciation to Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon which opened the door to such a great opportunity, not only to raise funds, but also to raise awareness of mental health in Northern Ireland.”