A huge thank you to all of those who put in an application for the Mental Health and Wellbeing Wales Awards. We were fortunate enough to receive numerous entries that were both inspiring and exceptional, and all applicants should take pride in their dedication to prioritizing the welfare of others!
If you were present at the awards ceremony held at Cardiff City Hall, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for all of your support! We value the feedback we’ve received from those who attended, and we are thrilled to learn that the event was not only enjoyable, but also featured incredible stories, speakers and networking opportunities that everyone thoroughly enjoyed being a part of!
Of course, a massive congratulations to all the finalists! Achieving the status of a finalist is a significant accomplishment, and you should take pride in both your finalist status and your entries!
Now, let’s delve into who the winners were and explore the reasons behind their well-deserved awards!
Workplace Wellbeing Award – Sponsored by CMC
Winner – ACT Training
Silver – Pobl
Bronze – Awen Cultural Trust
Each of the finalists showcased remarkable initiatives aimed at providing ongoing support to their employees throughout their professional careers. ACT Training really stood out here and distinguished itself as a company that authentically embodied the principles of workplace well-being. ACT are all extremely passionate about making a positive difference in people’s lives by providing excellent learning program and opportunities.
Best Mental Health Support Service – Sponsored by C.A.L.L Helpline
Winner – Advance Brighter Futures
Silver – GISDA – ICAN Project
Bronze – Mental Health University Liaison Service
The award for the Best Mental Health Support Service goes to Advance Brighter Futures, who are a mental health charity in Wrexham, where they help people build happier and more fulfilling lives through improving mental wellbeing. This charitable organisation has been going since 1992 where they have made a difference in so many people’s lives. Their message is to work in partnerships with people experiencing mental distress in promoting health, wellbeing and recovery in Wrexham, and its local communities.
Inspirational Leader – Sponsored by Effective HRM
Winner – Keir Harding
Silver – Christine Hawkins
Bronze – Julia Houlston Clark
The award for Inspirational Leader goes to Keir Harding. Kier has repeatedly shown himself to be an inspirational force who has dedicated his life to improving mental health and wellbeing in Wales and beyond, working with survivors of trauma, listening to them and championing their needs. He is someone who is highly motivated, driven, and able to forge a pathway through bureaucracy, breaking down barriers and holding himself up as an example of someone who values his failures as well as his successes. He is open, genuine, and a leader pushing boundaries in order to bring about real change in the field of mental health.
Inspiring Individual – Sponsored by ACT
Winner – Zoe John
Silver – Phoenix Averies
Bronze – Jill Duarte
Zoe John is an enthusiastic advocate for people recovering from mental health issues, using her own experience of recovering from an eating disorder to help and support others. She is a much-respected mentor to her students at Swansea University where she works, and supports those experiencing mental health challenges, alongside her studies. She is always keen to share her story with others with the sole intent of promoting recovery after mental health challenges, and empowering people struggling with eating disorders and negative body image.
Outstanding Impact in Education – Sponsored by Kinbee
Winner – Timbrell Education
Silver – Belonging Counselling
Bronze – My Medic LD – Cardiff University School of Medicine
The award for the Outstanding Impact in Education goes to Timbrell Education! Ian Timbrell has accumulated 15 years of experience in the field of education, spanning various educational environments. His roles have included serving as an ICT Advisor and a Deputy Head Teacher. His leadership and proficiency in grammar have garnered recognition through ESTYN Case Studies. Furthermore, the team at Cwmbach Community Primary School, under his guidance, is set to become the first Primary School in Wales to attain the prestigious Rainbow Award from the Proud Trust.
Inspirational Charitable Organisation – Sponsored by 3SC
Winner – Community Furniture Aid
Silver – Walkfree
Bronze – Advance Brighter Futures
The award for the most Inspirational Charitable Organisation is awarded to Community Furniture Aid! Community Furniture Aid operates as a charitable organisation that’s family run, relying on a dedicated team of unpaid volunteers in Bridgend County. Their primary mission is to furnish homes entirely for individuals facing various challenges, including those escaping domestic abuse, experiencing homelessness, or silently enduring financial hardship, among others. They gather donated items from the community, often sourced from individuals upgrading their furniture or undergoing house clearances.
Inspiring Young Person Award – Sponsored by Really Pro
Winner – Kiera Phillips
Silver – Emily Williams
Bronze – Lily Alford
The winner for the Inspiring Young Persons Award goes to Kiera Phillips. Kiera has overcome a lot in recent years after an extreme struggle with her mental health, which has an enormous impact on her schooling. During COVID restrictions, she developed a severe deterioration in her mental health to the point where she felt unable to attend school, and her depression made her feel that she wanted to end her life. In recent years, she has faced that challenge head on and turned it completely around so that she has been able to lead a team at a global citizenship event focusing on mental health. She also set up an event showcasing mental health services at her college, where she can now proudly claim 100% attendance. She is paving the way for others to speak openly about their mental health, and in talking about her own mental health challenges, she is able to encourage and inspire others. She has shown tremendous determination, and courage.
Best Wellbeing Product – Sponsored by Potential To Succeed
Winner – ROKMAN
Silver – Thrive
Bronze – Therapeutic Counselling Services
The award for the Best Wellbeing Product goes to Rokman! Terry Rosoman created Rokman to inspire action and resilience within individuals so that they are able to live healthier lives with mental fortitude. It was also created to establish with the purpose of addressing the prevalent mental health challenges in today’s contemporary society. Their objective is to motivate adults not only to engage in physical exercise but also to challenge themselves to the utmost. They are convinced that participating in activities that push boundaries leads to heightened psychological engagement, enhancing the ability to withstand stress and pressure, contributing to the enhancement of our health, wellbeing and quality of life.
Best Wellbeing Service – Sponsored by Ajuda Training Academy
Winner – Hywel Dda University Health Board (Smoking and Wellbeing Team)
Silver – DDMIX Trust
Bronze – Advance Brighter Futures
The award for the Best Wellbeing Service goes to the Smoking and Wellbeing Team at Hywel Dda University Health Board! The Smoking and Wellbeing Teams program provides a well-organised support system that covers preparation for quitting, the quitting process, maintaining a smoke-free lifestyle, and planning for a tobacco-free future. The sessions are conducted by certified experts in smoking cessation. All of their services are provided at no cost and significantly increase the likelihood of successfully quitting smoking for the long term.
Volunteer Of the Year – Sponsored by Rookwood Sound Radio
Winner – Karl Bailey
Silver – Kathryn Crompton
Bronze – Tracy Lewis
A volunteer for over 25 years, with over 5000 hours of time delivering a quality service to the people of Wales. He plays a key role in life-threatening situations, keeping people safe from harm. He is flexible, often volunteering at short notice, and he is highly-valued and respected by everyone on the team he supports. He has shown a tremendous amount of commitment to his role, going the extra mile – in fact, he travels 100 miles every time he volunteers. He provides an extremely high level of service, having taken over 10,000 calls for CALL Helpline. He is described as an asset to the team, and they are proud to call him a colleague, and a friend. The award goes to Karl Bailey.
The Trudy Williams Special Recognition Award
Winner – Maggie Corkhill
Our final award is for someone who deserves special recognition for their work in mental health and wellbeing. Someone who works tirelessly to raise awareness of suicide and the dangers of cocaine and alcohol. She is well known by organisations throughout South Wales, and people have the utmost respect for her. Her own personal losses have led to her sharing her experiences in order to provide care and compassion for others and to raise awareness of the loss and pain that is overwhelming when someone you love dies by suicide. The award goes to Maggie Corkhill.
As previously stated, we were delighted to receive a remarkable number of outstanding submissions, with certain entries earning silver and bronze awards. Congratulations!
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Awards could not have taken place without our sponsors’ generous support:
Workplace Wellbeing Award: CMC
Best Mental Health Support Service: C.A.L.L
Inspirational Leader: Effective HRM
Inspiring Individual Award: ACT
Outstanding Impact in Education: Kinbee
Inspirational Charitable Organisation: 3SC
Inspiring Young Person: Really Pro
Best Wellbeing Product: Potential To Succeed
Best Wellbeing Service: Ajuda Training Academy
Volunteer of the Year: Rookwood Sound Radio
Your contributions are greatly appreciated, thank you!
We would love to see you all again next year, please do consider applying for our 2024 awards! Applications for next year will be open 1st April 2024 and you’ll be able to put your applications forward through email. We would also love to hear your category suggestions, which we’re accepting via email foundation@ajuda.org.uk