SHIPLEY-based mental health charity - Haven - literally struck gold after winning a national award.

Based at The Cellar Trust, Haven won gold in the crisis and acute care category at The National Positive Practice in Mental Health Awards 2018 at Anfield.

The service, which celebrated its second anniversary in August, supports vulnerable people needing urgent mental health support across Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven.

Kim Shutler-Jones, CEO at The Cellar Trust, said: “We are thrilled that a local charity like ours has received this recognition but key to our success is that this it is delivered in partnership with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust and Bradford Metropolitan District Council.

“Haven plays a vital role in identifying crisis triggers early and preventing a crisis from escalating and what is special is that it is a peer support service, which is delivered by people with their own experiences of mental health recovery. We’re over the moon to have been recognised for our hard work and will continue to help people in the local area to receive the right help, with kind and compassionate staff at the times when they need it most. We are grateful to Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust and Bradford Metropolitan District Council for their support. We would also like to thank Lloyds Bank Foundation and the Garfield Weston Foundation who have provided core support enabling us to embed new services such as Haven.”

Brent Kilmurray, Chief Executive at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust commented that one of the stand out qualities of this service is the level of partnership working and integration with Cellar Trust as a voluntary and community sector provider working alongside the statutory sector providers. Another factor is that it is staffed by people who have personal experience of mental health problems who work alongside our clinicians to support vulnerable people that have suffered emotionally or experienced a mental health crisis. This is a well-deserved acknowledgement of a great service.”

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Portfolio Holder for Healthy People and Places at Bradford Metropolitan District Council, said the services provided by organisations such as the Cellar Trust 'are crucial in supporting service users to be able to openly discuss mental health issues and look for solutions in ensuring they are able to live a happy, healthy life.'