A BRADFORD district-based mental health organisation has been nominated for a national award.

It’s Worth Talking About, based in Keighley, has been shortlisted in the Doing It For Ourselves category at the Marsh 2021 Peer Support Awards.

The Marsh Awards for mental health peer support recognise excellence in mental health peer support in England and Wales.

The awards are run by The Marsh Charitable Trust, Mind and PeerFest partner organisations, each project chosen will receive a cash prize and hear about other events and learning opportunities offered by Mind and PeerFest partners.

It’s Worth Talking About will battle it out with eight other organisations at an online awards ceremony held on December 15 at 5.30pm.

Despite the pandemic, It's Worth Talking About has continued to grow with rapid pace from its initial talking therapy peer support group for men, to an offering that assists both men and women across most of the Bradford district and also into Leeds.

It’s Worth Talking About run weekly groups for men and women in Keighley, Haworth, Cross Roads, Silsden, Bingley, Wilsden, Shipley, Tong and Queensbury.

The organisation, who run several evening midweek groups in the area and a mixed running group at Cliffe Castle, Keighley, on Sundays, opened a first of its kind mental health support group for teenagers aged 13 to 16 years old in Haworth.

The organisation continues to provide free of charge, easily accessible mental health and life support across the Worth and Aire Valleys.

The groups are relaxed, comfortable, safe and confidential and are run weekly by ordinary people from within their local communities.

The charity also had a banner which went on display in the main stand at Bradford's City's Valley Parade ground during the 2020-21 football season while crowds were not permitted to attend matches in person due to Covid restrictions.

Ryan Anderton, founder of It's Worth Talking About and a health coach with Modality Partnership and has received the benefits of peer support during some turbulent and difficult times in his own life, says he was delighted after the group received the nomination.

He said: “To be recognised as one of the UK's peer support organisations that are making a difference in supporting mental health is great.

“But more support is still needed in our area and across the UK.

“We are Doing It For Ourselves because we have to. GP's are facing huge demands, the NHS in general are struggling to cope with underfunding and over demand so it is left to the charitable sector to fill as many gaps as we can.

"If anyone wants quick support from professionals it's difficult to access, especially for children so It's Worth Talking About and several other great charities are available in and around Keighley and can be found by visiting social prescribing website Treacle.me that can also be found on itsworthtalkingabout.org/signposting.