In the right mind for mental health award

Rochdale and District Mind took home the Mental Health and Wellbeing award at the North West Health and Social Care Awards to help people with mental health issues.

The Award judges were really impressed with the project and Compleat beat off competition from more than 400 teams to win the Award.

Comple@t is a partnership project between Rochdale and District Mind, NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale and Rochdale Borough Council.

It provides education, training and support to people with mental health problems so that they can work in a real environment within the community and gain back some self confidence.

Since starting in 2001, Comple@t has grown into a successful business with a café in Middleton as well as at Nye Bevan House, the new health centre in Rochdale.

It has helped more than 450 people, many of whom have now moved on into full time education and employment. It is now a City and Guilds registered training provider offering accredited courses covering basic numeracy and literacy, hospitality and mental health support work.

Tricia Hornby, Chief Executive of Rochdale and District Mind, said: “We are so delighted to have won the award. A great deal of time and effort has been put in by a number of people to make Comple@t the success it is today and gaining some recognition is fantastic for the people who work in the project.”

“It is so important that services are in place to help people with mental health issues to regain confidence, learn new work skills and be included in the community. Comple@t is an innovative project that delivers all of these and is helping to reduce the stigma attached to mental health.

"It is now a well used and respected business in the borough and we hope that our success long continues.”