Well here we are at the end of 2024 and what a year it has been. We have supported over 7,700 individuals. For some it was the most difficult times of their lives and we have been able to help them navigate the pathway to positivity.

We have had some significant staff changes Jean Walker who had been a senior member of our counselling for a long time has moved on to a new challenge and Jill Hedley has taken on the role of Counselling Clinical Lead. In June, with support from The Big Lottery Reaching Communities Fund we have rolled out a new family support project ‘Strength and Resilience For All’ this project is managed by Sarah Hindley.

In January, we said goodbye to Paul Harper-Booth who moved on to work closer to home. We welcomed new staff into the Wellbeing Team. Marsha Jardine, Karen Cutter and Liam Gallagher have been working really hard to develop new groups and activities. International Women’s Day was celebrated in March with Brunch and taster sessions in mindfulness and massage. Following their success, we hosted a further two events across the year. Our young people took over Mental Health Awareness Week, covering the East End of Sunderland in positive affirmation stones, expanding on the display they created around the quote ‘take the stones people throw at you and build something beautiful’ the previous year. Our adults had a brilliant time on their brilliant time on their annual Summer Trip visiting Scarborough. Our Strength and Resilience for All Project hosted their very first Family Fun & Fitness event. Our Youth Space also hosted their Summer Holiday Club where young people aged 7-17 took part in a range of games and activities that were designed to build self-esteem and confidence while having lots of fun! In October, we celebrated World Mental Health Day, hosting a wellness event for the community. 

The closing of the year has been surrounded by lots of celebration. We kickstarted it all off with our Annual Christmas Fair which included a visit from Santa, lots of fun with festive stalls and activities as well as delicious hot food and drinks. We were also joined by fabulous stall holders such as Northumbria Police, Together We Can, Daft as a Brush Cancer Patient Care and NERAF! Our amazing Youth Space members channeled their inner elf and ran their own stall to help raise funds for our groups, while our brilliant staff and volunteer team kept the whole thing running. The amazing people in our local community came out in force to show their support and we are extremely grateful.

We also threw a Christmas Movie Night with our Young People where they had loads of fun giggling their through Home Alone and nibbling on snacks. Our adult service users enjoyed their own Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings, plenty of quiz games and even some bingo!

I am immensely proud of the entire staff team and volunteers for their dedication to the organisation and every individual that accesses the building in order to help make life as positive as it can be.

That just leaves me to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and prosperous new year, please remember those that may be alone or struggling and it takes only a minute to open a conversation and ask how someone is feeling.

 

Merry Christmas from Trish Cornish CEO and the staff team.

 

If you are in need of support during the festive period, visit our Urgent Help page.