Staff Recognition Week: Creating artworks to celebrate the NHS during Mental Health Awareness Week

Throughout week commencing 21 – 25 September, we are holding a special staff Recognition Week to say thank you to our fabulous staff for everything they have done over the past few difficult months and continue to do during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Recognition Week will showcase and celebrate the amazing work of our staff and how they have been innovative in adapting their practices to ensure that our patients and service users have continued to get the very best care and treatment possible throughout this time. The commitment of our staff to making a difference in these unprecedented times is truly inspiring.  You can read about our inspiring staff and how they have adapted during the pandemic below. 

An art competition held as part of Mental Health Awareness Week in May encouraged Trust colleagues and their families to get creative and send in poems, short stories and drawings that celebrated the role and achievements of the NHS.

The competition was the idea of Lings Bar Hospital team member Angela Beales. Angela has been a Mental Health First Aider for the last year, running two support sessions a month for staff. She recently returned to work after becoming ill, and wanted to give something back to recognise all the support colleagues had given her.

“I had the idea to run Mental Health Awareness Week events including cake and craft sales and so on, and I thought, ‘why not run a Trust-wide competition?’ At the time we were at the height of the pandemic and I thought it would be good to do something to cheer people up and bring colleagues and their families together.”

The only criteria for the art competition was that pieces had to be NHS related. Captain Tom Moore featured heavily in entries from children, highlighting the inspiration he gave to the country at a difficult time.

Around 100 entries were received from across the Trust. Julie Grant, Head of Communications, helped Angela judge the entries which have now been published in a special booklet thanks to support from Chief Executive John Brewin and the Communications Team. Angela also had the support of the Mental Health First Aid community within the Trust to publicise and circulate the booklets, as well as in sourcing prizes for the art competition.

Supporting health and wellbeing into the future

The booklet of competition entries is being sold to raise funds for mental health awareness and it’s already on the second print run.

“I think the competition offered a ‘feel good’ moment and was the right thing to do at the right time,” added Angela.  “We raised £1,067 during Mental Health Awareness week, and ideas such as the weekly singing session for staff at Lings Bar will continue.”

Angela has worked within the Trust for 16 years and is currently seconded to the Health and Wellbeing team at Lings Bar. The money raised during the week and from the competition booklet will go into a charitable fund used for Mental Health First Aid events for staff, and to promote health and wellbeing.

Angela says she received several messages of thanks and one really sticks out for her. “The letter I received came from a family where their children were struggling during lockdown. They said that the competition gave them a focus and really helped them cope at that time.

“I’m really proud of everything the teams at Lings Bar achieved during Mental Health Awareness Week and I’m excited to keep working with everyone to promote good health and wellbeing for all.”

MariaPaola Ditch, Clinical Educator, RMN; Adult MHFA Instructor, MHFA Lead added: “Angela is one of our most proactive Mental Health First Aiders. We are very fortunate to have so many MHFAiders dedicated to making a positive difference.”