AMH, Northern Ireland’s largest mental health charity has warmly welcomed the announcement of a major cash injection for mental health services as a result of the DUP / Conservative Party deal. Speaking after it was announced that £10Million a year for 5 years will be made available specifically for mental health services, David Babington, chief executive of Action Mental Health said,

“Action Mental Health would like to warmly welcome this announcement of significant extra funding for mental health services in Northern Ireland. For some time, we have worked closely with all of the political parties in Northern Ireland to lobby for improvements in mental health service provision to recognise long term under investment, and the specific historical issues which exist here.”

He added,

“We are pleased that this work has been reflected in the new deal and we look forward to working with a reconstituted Northern Ireland Executive to see this funding rolled out. We are particularly keen to move forward quickly on the establishment of a Mental Health Advocate or champion for Northern Ireland, to ensure that we have a whole Executive response to the challenges of adequately dealing with Northern Ireland’s long term mental health underinvestment.”

You can read the details of the UK Government’s Financial Support for Northern Ireland here

Our thanks to all the brave fundraisers who turned out in force on Sunday morning to abseil down the Europa hotel in Belfast in aid of Action Mental Health.

Staff from our charity partners also participated, with 12 from Fane Valley and 21 from Danske Bank.

You can check out images from the event on our Events & Fundraising Facebook page.

Well done to everyone who took part!

If you follow us on Facebook & Twitter, you’ll know that during Volunteers’ Week we turned the spotlight on just some of our clients who volunteer as part of our ESF Working it Out Project.  Volunteers’ week is an annual celebration of the fantastic contribution millions of volunteers make across the UK. It takes place from 1st-7th June every year.

Chris McKeag is on a Work Based Training Placement at Oxfam in Newtownards.  He is doing this as part of his NVQ Retail Level 2 qualification that he is completing with AMH New Horizons North Down & Ards.  He has been supported by his Retail Skills Coach, Aisling Deery and his colleague Maureen.  He wanted to take the time to thank Oxfam for their time and commitment to him in showing him the vocational skills needed to pursue a career in retail.

“My placement is great.  My colleagues are friendly and I enjoy the variation of tasks that I am involved in.  It’s an excellent opportunity to get practical experience reinforcing what I have learned on my course.  Claire has been a tremendous support to me and I am so grateful for all of her help”.

10 October 2017 is World Mental Health Day and Action Mental Health is calling on schools to take part in the 5 Ways to Well-being Challenge.

Beginning on 10 October we’re challenging schools to adopt 5 simple steps to help maintain and improve well-being.

1. Connect – Get together and organise a ‘wear purple to school day’ to support Action Mental Health and celebrate World Mental Health Day!
2. Be active – Organise an activity like a sponsored walk or run in the school grounds and raise funds for Action Mental Health.
3. Give – Bring a donation to take part. AMH relies on support from the local community so our MensSana project can provide vital mental health awareness programmes in schools like yours!
4. Take Notice – Stop and think how you can get involved this World Mental Health Day. AMH can help support your fundraising efforts – to find out more or to register your school please contact our fundraising team by emailing [email protected] or by calling 028 9182 8494.
5. Keep Learning – AMH MensSana can deliver a range of educational programmes in your school to support all ages in the area of mental health and emotional well-being, get in touch to find out more!

Save the date and get involved!

If your school is up for the challenge you can get in touch with our Events & Fundraising Team by emailing [email protected] or call 028 9182 8494.

Five ways to well-being – New Economics Foundation

The volunteering contribution of Action Mental Health clients has been recognised during Volunteers’ Week, at a special thank you event in the National Trust property at Mount Stewart. For the past six months clients from AMH New Horizons North Down & Ards and AMH Promote have been spending time volunteering in the beautiful grounds at Mount Stewart.

AMH New Horizons provides vocational training, personal development and employment support to individuals recovering from mental ill-health. AMH Promote provides opportunities for adults with a learning disability to be socially active and develop new skills in a supportive and engaging environment.

Katrina McIlmail, Employment Officer, Action Mental Health said, “As part of our employment support we encourage clients to volunteer, especially in an area that they have a passion for.  It incorporates the five steps to well-being – Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give. Volunteering is a wonderful chance to gain work experience and is an excellent addition to a client’s CV.

“Our group enjoy working as part of a team and they have gained lots of new skills whilst enjoying the beautiful surroundings of Mount Stewart. The clients are helping out their local community and themselves, and feel a real sense of pride in their contribution. We are very grateful to the National Trust for their continued support and for celebrating what the clients have achieved during Volunteers’ Week.”

Gary Legge, a client at AMH New Horizons said, “Through my volunteering at Mount Stewart I have really enjoyed the opportunity to improve my gardening skills and connect with others.  The National Trust staff have gone the extra mile to welcome and support us on our monthly sessions.  My mental well-being has improved and I would definitely recommend volunteering to others who are considering it.”

Jenny Ferguson, Volunteering, Learning and Community Involvement Officer at Mount Stewart, said, “We are delighted to host this celebration event at Mount Stewart to thank the staff and volunteers from Action Mental Health for the many ways they support the National Trust.  Mount Stewart is a very special place that uplifts everyone and the vital work that volunteers carry out during their time with us is valued by all the team here.

“AMH volunteers make a real difference to Mount Stewart, from helping us look after our world class gardens through to essential biodiversity restoration work out on the newly acquired demesne, clearing invasive snowberry and laurel and planting red squirrel supporting native species such as scots pine.  Volunteers’ Week is the perfect time to say thank you for everyone’s efforts and we hope that the National Trust’s partnership with Action Mental Health in the North Down and Ards area will go from strength to strength.”

AMH New Horizons is part-funded through the Northern Ireland European Social Fund Programme 2014-2020 and the Department for the Economy, and the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust. AMH Promote is funded by the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust.

We need your help at our upcoming fundraising activities.

If you have some spare time we are recruiting volunteers for:

* Friday 16 June, 10.00am – 5.00pm, Sainsbury’s, Bangor – Volunteer Bag Packers

If you can give any of your time we’d love to hear from you!

Email [email protected] or call 028 9182 8494.

Thank you for your support!