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CHARITY SCOOPS NATIONAL PRIZE Thursday, March 19 - Wednesday, March 25, 2015
• Andy Mackrell
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A MENTAL health charity based in Didcot which helped 750 people across Oxfordshire last year won a national award and £30,000 prize yesterday. Restore, which runs its South Oxfordshire recovery group at Fleet Meadow, beat over 350 other health charities across the UK to win a GSK Impact award. It supported 763 people in 2014 with one-to-one coaching, and training workshops from one of its five countywide centres. Andy Mackrell, from South Oxfordshire, is just one person who the charity has helped turn their life around. The 36-yearold came to Restore last year after falling ill with suicidal thoughts, bipolar, anxiety and agoraphobia at work. Mr Mackrell said: “Those two years were the worst of my life. My manager didn’t understand. I
By Katriona Ormiston katriona@taylornewspapers.co.uk
www.oxfordshireguardian.co.uk
gaining employment. “There are often a huge number of hurdles on the way, but it is about giving people hope and belief, and the ability to realise that they can achieve things.” The charity was one of 10 winners against over 350 charities in the running for the award. Of the 763 people supported last year, Restore helped 119
get a paid job and over 100 into voluntary work. For mental health sufferers not ready to work, Restore runs activities to support people in a work-like environment such as gardening, woodwork, crafts, running Restore’s shops and cafés, and selling the products grown and made. At its Didcot base it has allotments and runs craft, painting,
woodwork, knitting and weaving workshops alongside one-to-one support and recovery groups. The Oxfordshire charity has its headquarters and a centre in Manzil Way, Cowley, as well as bases in Rymers Lane and Littlemore in Oxford, and a centre in Banbury. During May’s awards ceremony an overall winner will be picked to get another £10,000.
was having suicidal thoughts and if I had been at that company just one month longer, I probably wouldn’t be here now. “But I am now so happy coming to Restore. I feel I belong here, I feel I’m becoming me again. I can get involved in so many ways. I’m so happy now, with the confidence Restore has given me.” He added: “On my fi rst day I was a nervous wreck, I felt like the new boy starting secondary school. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, and was really quiet. Now I’m like Russell Brand, you can’t stop me talking.” Charity staff will pick up the prize during a ceremony at the Science Museum in London on May 14. Restore’s chief executive, Martin Realey, said: “We are delighted, and it is a sizable chunk of money so we can continue. “To see someone progressing is hugely rewarding - almost immeasurably so. “Those changes can be from steps like someone travelling on the bus on their own to someone • Mental health sufferers growing plants at a charity recovery group (photo by Mim Saxl)
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