Our office was buzzing with positive energy this week as we hosted a special collaborative networking event focused on mental health across the Thames Valley. Held on Wednesday 3rd July, the event saw professionals, advocates, and enthusiasts from various fields come together to discuss how we as a community can better support mental health and wellbeing.
We hosted the event in partnership with aMAZing Therapy Centre CIC (aTC) and we’re delighted to say it was a resounding success! We started the day off by sharing valuable insights about the new consumer standards and our aspirations for future collaborations to address the support gaps for vulnerable members of our community. Marian and Mariola from aTC then captivated the audience with their inspiring journey all about creating aTC, before attendees stopped to quickly introduce themselves to each other.
We then moved onto the main event – some insightful talks on community mental health by esteemed guest speakers, Jules Bottazzi, Head of Violence Reduction at Thames Valley OPCC, and Melissa Hinton, Head of Social Care at Buckinghamshire, Oxford Health NHS Foundation.
The event reminded us of the power of teamwork. By working together, we can break down the stigma around mental health and create a more supportive environment for everyone.
Nahida, our Community Investment Specialist, who organised the successful event, said:
“Our collaborative networking event was a great success yesterday. We had 36 partner organizations from diverse sectors and 63 participants, creating a lively atmosphere filled with discussions on mental health and collaborative initiatives to support mental well-being in our communities. This was our first community networking event dedicated to prioritising our community in mental health initiatives.”
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, whether you spoke, listened, or helped to make the day happen.
