Congratulations to our Shared Lives Team who recently attained a CQC inspection rating “Good”.

During the inspection process the CQC inspector spent a large amount of time talking to carers and clients, the feedback was outstanding.

Shared Lives carers felt the service was well-managed. Their comments included “They really look after us, everything needed is there. We are very happy with them; they are a great company to work with.”

Shared Lives carers told the inspection they had 6 weekly visits to their homes and telephone calls to check on how the placement was going and with offers of support. Their comments included: “I feel like I just have to pick up the phone and they will be here.”

Hannah Yorston, Area Manager at St Anne’s said “I am extremely proud of Jonathan and his team, they have had a challenging year but still managed to maintain an excellent level of service to their carers and clients. Congratulations on the well-deserved result”.

This week we recognise Volunteers Week (2 June -9 June), by relaunching our Volunteers Policy.

The diversity of our colleagues skills and talents makes St Anne’s a great place to work. Our refreshed policy will enable our colleagues to share their passion and skills by having a choice to be more involved within the communities we support, through paid volunteering activities at a St Anne’s service. 

Mario Caswell Deputy Chief Executive said:

“Our new Volunteer Policy is a great opportunity for us to reach the amazing untapped potential and skills of our colleagues and to celebrate what it means to work for St Anne’s, in terms of colleague appreciation and community involvement. We hope many colleagues take up this opportunity”.

Pictured:

Colleagues from our Business Development and Maintenance Teams were proud to work alongside Evelyn Partners in May to prepare the gardens at our Lonsdale Close service for summer.

Amy Tolliday, Service Development Manager for St Anne’s said:

“Evelyn Partners volunteered for us to create an instant impact in a garden environment.  Our residents chose the new spot for the bench, provided by Evelyn. They can now enjoy a Leeds cityscape from the comfort of their back gardens! Evelyn’s support has maximised our resident’s facilities this summer”.

If any organisations wish to approach us regarding our volunteering opportunities, please email us: info@st-annes.org.uk

We are very proud to announce St Anne’s has started a new partnership with digital social care software company Nourish, which will be providing us with a new client system.

As part of our strategic plan, one of the core pillars was to digitally transform St Anne’s to both support our clients, to live our vision of “a life without limits”, and to support our colleagues to ensure the systems we use enable them to work in easier and smarter ways.

Nourish is a leading provider of care management systems, and the system they offer will transform not only the support we provide but also how we provide it.

Some of the benefits of using the package include:

• Managers have more oversight of each client’s care.
• It is quicker and easier to add content to the system and see how all elements of client care work together.
• Best of all, the system provides more time for each support worker to spend time with the client.

A project group, led by Head of Quality Lyndsay Atkinson-Swales, is in the process of delivering the planning for the rollout of Nourish across St Anne’s. This will be undertaken in stages.

 Lyndsay said:

“The partnership with Nourish is hugely exciting, and it will truly empower all our teams to provide more joined-up care. Nourish goes beyond being a platform for just planning care and recording notes; it’s designed to support us in making a meaningful difference to the lives of our clients.

“The Nourish platform is designed with support workers in mind and is simple, clear, and easy to navigate. Features that will help us include, speech-to-text, photo uploads drop-downs and checkboxes, quick close tags, consent signatures, and pre-filled-in text. But the system is not just for front-line care. We can also add in cleaning schedules, activity participation, and maintenance requests, and this will really help in keeping all members of each team in the loop”.

There is a lot of preparation required in the roll-out of what is a major system change for St Anne’s. The project group is currently working with Area Managers who are piloting Nourish in specific areas during May, with the full roll-out of Nourish being planned for July.

More updates on the progress of the pilot will be shared in the coming weeks

Below is an infographic sharing some of the key benefits of Nourish.  To learn more about Nourish please see this video: Nourish | An Introduction to Nourish (youtube.com)

In early April three of our clients from our mental health services in Leeds, moved into independent living at our new service on Kendal Lane.

The Kendal Lane mental health service, supports clients who have developed the appropriate skills to live independently whilst also supporting ensuring their ongoing wellbeing

Over the last few years, the clients have been supported to develop independent living skills, which has been their long term aim.  We are so proud of the hard work from all the team in supporting our clients achieve their dream. This really is our vision, of a ‘Life without limits for the people we support’ in action.

All clients have said they have seen this move as a positive move forward.

Curtis said: “I have  settled in well and I am looking forward to getting involved in courses in the local area and getting involved in things’.

Over the last few months we have been rolling out our fresh and innovative approach to client engagement and co-production.

As a social care charity, we understand the commitment and links needed between the voice of our clients, the people who use our services, and our board of Trustee, as such we are introducing a dynamic process that will enhance communication and collaboration across St Anne’s, and support clients with greater and consistent co-production.

Utilising some of our existing best practices in our services, our new approach establishes a flow of information from the board to service-level client and house groups. Each month, our Client Engagement and Social Impact Officer will distribute content, including agendas and resources, providing a platform for meaningful dialogue and feedback in services. These meetings will serve as the heartbeat of our new St. Anne’s community voice.

To amplify engagement, quarterly meetings of our SEVEN client group will be hosted at our head office in Morley, Leeds to review key feedback from services. These meetings will enable an invaluable opportunity for deeper connections between our Trustees and clients, fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment within St Anne’s.

Supporting our fresh approach, we are also introducing our annual PROUD Programme to celebrate and recognise national, cultural, environmental, diversity, and inclusion days. This comprehensive program will provide resources, links, and suggestions to engage both clients and services in these important events.

The PROUD Programme aims to infuse enthusiasm into regular celebrations, offering a month-by-month content plan for each service. Our client services will have the opportunity to share their success stories across the organisation and receive well-deserved recognition. Emphasizing standardisation and consistency, the PROUD Programme allows each service and Support Worker to tailor the content to be person-centred based on common themes.

Our new approach will not only enhance client engagement at St Anne’s but also create a vibrant community that celebrates inclusion and involvement. We look forward to the positive impact these changes will bring to St Anne’s, creating an environment where every voice is heard and valued, and we will be proud to share out client outcomes with you.

Sarah, a tenant of St Anne’s has been on an amazing personal journey of empowerment and wellbeing, this is her story.

“Heather and the team empowered me along the way and celebrated my differences which led me to be invited to a conference in London where I was able to sit under some amazing speakers who advocated a culture of care. This encouraged me to be more involved at St Annes by being on the tenant interviewing panel and helped me to adapt the same attitude of value into my everyday life. This is because I felt confident again as it enhanced my self-esteem, I finally felt seen and heard after many years of being silenced. I felt that Heather and the team understood who I was and believed in me and this caused me to believe in myself!

“My journey with my mental health and physical health is continuing but being supported by St Anne’s has helped and empowered me to make changes within my lifestyle and because of this I am now 15stone down, yes you read that right. Eating healthier, renewing my mind, journaling, and finding therapy in walking with my headphones on has helped me and invigorated me to think that I can overcome anything, it just takes time.

“Restoration takes time. Healing takes time.

“It’s okay to take time to rebuild your life and to also take care of yourself because you are worthy.

“Where there is no struggle there is no strength.

“Heather and the team have impacted my life so much, I am so grateful and thankful for their dedication and determination to see client engagement and inclusion. Because of this, now I can pass the same batten onto others coming into the service by making a way for all to be seen, heard, and understood.”

We are so happy for Sarah.

On 4th March our new Chair of Trustees John Cleland joined St Anne’s.

John comes with a wealth of experience which will prove invaluable to St Anne’s as we continue to develop and deliver our strategy to support our clients to enjoy “life without limits”.

John recently retired having spent over 30 years working as a solicitor advising on financial transactions. Towards the end of that time, John became Global Managing Partner of Pinsent Masons, the international law firm where he spent most of his career. During his career, John developed a particular interest in promoting good mental health.

In his retirement John has become a member of the Independent Monitoring Board for HMP Leeds, he also enjoys playing competitive chess, spending time with family, and is learning to become a bee keeper.

We also welcome two new Trustees Chris Day and Andy Micklethwaite. Chris joins our Quality and People Committee and will become our Safeguard Lead Trustee, whilst Andy joins both our Finance and Business Committee and Audit, Risk and Assurance Committee.

We are so please to announce we have achieved the Safer Leeds Domestic Violence & Abuse Quality Mark.

The purpose of the Quality Mark is to ensure consistent and high-quality service provision to women, children and men affected by Domestic Violence or Abuse (DVA).  Agencies who attain the Quality Mark are expected to maintain and continue to improve the quality of service that they offer in relation to DVA.  The Quality Mark requires the successful completion of a checklist to confirm that organizations are meeting the criteria outlined in the award.

Well done to the team for undertaking the submission and for supporting St Anne’s to achieve the Quality Mark.

Our Shared Lives carers and team gathered on the 13th February for a winter walk at Golden Acre Park, Leeds.

Thankfully the rain stayed away which allowed the group to enjoy feeding the ducks (earning the team points in our St Anne’s Kindness Games). Hot drinks finished the walk with style.

A Memorial Orchard, a symbol of hope and remembrance, has been planted at a specialist resettlement hostel in Sheffield in collaboration with St Anne’s Community Services (St Anne’s), The Hepatitis C Trust, and Sheffield City Council.

The team at Bevin Court, run by St Anne’s, was inspired by previous tree plantings carried out by The Hepatitis C Trust on World Hepatitis Day, (July 28^th), as a poignant tribute to those who lost their lives to Hepatitis C and a celebration of the tens of thousands who have triumphantly cleared the virus. The project was initiated to plant trees at Bevin Court with a vision to create a lasting memorial, to encourage gardening to promote physical activity among the residents, and finally to create a focal point in which residents can relax as they progress through their rehab.

Sheffield City Council and The Hep C Trust embraced the idea, and after a site visit was conducted to identify the perfect location for planting, five fruit trees, and a magnolia were planted on the 8^th January with two council members, representatives from The Hep C Trust, and five residents from Bevin Court.

David Peers, Bevin Court Manager said:

“The Memorial Orchard at Bevin Court stands not only as a testament to lives lost but also as a symbol of hope, resilience, and community spirit. The initiative highlights the power of collaboration in creating positive change and promoting a more connected community. Our residents loved being involved and we look forward to other collaborations”.

Councillor Richard Williams, Chair of the Communities, Parks and Leisure Committee at Sheffield City Council, said:

“Our Community Forestry Team have been planting trees with local people for over 20 years. They know first-hand how working with trees can help people feel better about themselves and the places they live.

“When the Council were approached by the Hepatitis C Trust and St Anne’s Bevin Court to see if we could help them plant a new memorial orchard, we were delighted to have the opportunity to work together.”

Stephen Jefferson, Peer Support Lead, South Yorkshire for The Hep C Trust said:

“Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that can lead to liver damage and cancer if left untreated. In recent years, a new form of tablet treatment has meant that the virus is now easily cured and could soon be eliminated in this country. This Memorial Orchard is a way for us to celebrate the lives that have been saved while we commemorate those we have sadly lost along the way. We were delighted to work alongside Bevin Court and Sheffield Council on this incredible project.”

In an exciting development, St. Anne’s is thrilled to announce the addition of Whiteoak Respite Centre to its comprehensive array of services. Beginning on the 6th of February, Whiteoak will become an integral part of the St. Anne’s family, catering to individuals with learning disabilities and autism who require specialised support and a brief respite.

Overlooking Fagley Woods, Bradford, Whiteoak is a peaceful retreat that has great local community connections and links. The service is designed to offer a range of activities both on-site and in the local community, ensuring a holistic and enriching experience for all its residents.

Whiteoak has a positive reputation for social community inclusion and has a skilled and experienced team that fits well into St Anne’s PROUD Values.

St. Anne’s is proud to welcome the Whiteoak team into our family of services and looks forward to working with the team and developing positive connections with both residents and family members.

Over 300 colleagues and clients had an amazing time at Elland Road, Leeds, on 19th June as we celebrated our PROUD Awards.

Compered in style by our Head of Corporate Governance Mark Howorth, and with special guest the High Sheriff of West Yorkshire Professor Abeeda Malik, the day was a celebration of everything St Anne’s.

From enjoying the St Anne’s Choir, to a very competitive tricky quiz, the event showcased our long-service colleagues, as well as services who have achieved good quality results.

The highlight of the day was the announcement of all our PROUD Award Winners, so we want to say a huge congratulations to all our winners:

We are proud to announce our Bradford Adult Supported Living Service, which supports adults with learning disabilities in the comfort of their own homes, has achieved a CQC rating of Good.

The management team for the service said:

“All the team have worked hard, pulled together and supported services to deliver high quality care. This would not have been possible without our Bradford support workers and the effort that they have continually put in. The Bradford Management Team are dedicated to supporting our clients and supporting the staff to provide high-quality person-centred care to the people we support.”

Hannah Yorston, Area Manager said:

“I am proud of all the support workers and management team for the service they provide to the people we support. It is great that their hard work and person-centred approaches have been recognised in this CQC inspection. Well done to the whole Bradford team and thank you for all that you do.”

We wish all our clients, families, friends, partners and colleagues a Happy Christmas.

We love the winning card of our Client Christmas Card Competition, well done to LH from our Norfolk Road service.

The festive period can be lonely for the homeless, and those in need. Over the Christmas period we are here to help. Please note our Resource Centre normal hours resume on Tuesday 2nd January.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Lush for the kind donation of products for our clients.

The festive season can be a very difficult time of year for some of the people we support, so just to know someone is there and cares can mean so much to them. We have delivered several of the boxes to our Somewhere Safe to Stay Hub, in Leeds which supports women with complex needs who are street homeless or vulnerably housed – these will be turned into hampers for the people we support there. We have also distributed boxes to our Bevin Court Service in Sheffield which is a hostel for homeless men aged 18+ who need temporary accommodation.

Thank you Lush for being amazing.

Men’s Talk an exciting performing arts group for men with experience of mental health issues, performed at our Bevin Court service (Sheffield) on 7th November.

The group, which aims to engage men in a creative process which enables them to explore their experiences of mental health,  performed to a packed audience at Bevin Court and shared their experiences of; depression, isolation, anxiety, stress, and  personality disorders.

The performance resonated with the audience, with many clients at Bevin Court asking questions about how the performers coped with mental health and how performing supported their recovery.

Please see the video below to learn more about Men’s Talk and how the show supported clients at Bevin Court.

September was ‘Recovery Month’ – an opportunity to celebrate recovery. There is often a stigma attached to people who experience problems with alcohol or drugs. Recovery Month was an opportunity to confront that stigma by celebrating people who are in recovery.

Our Alcohol Services held several events to mark Recovery Month, this is a great update from the service:

“On 15 September, we celebrated 4 people completing their residential rehab programmes. Family and friends were able to join them in reflecting on how far they had come, as well as all they have to look forward to. Congratulations to Kelly, Jackie, Shannon and Teresa.

“One way to inspire hope in people who are in treatment us is to help them engage with people who have been through similar journeys. We like to call this ‘Mix & Mingle’ – our current clients meeting with some of our ex-clients. It was great that 19 of our ex-clients came to share their stories of recovery with our current clients, some of whom were just on day one of their rehab programmes. Everyone came away with an enormous sense of pride at what those who shared their stories have achieved. Thank you to all who came and shared their stories. Thank you to Stuart, one of our current clients, who cooked a fantastic curry for everyone afterwards.

“Each year, a national walk takes place to celebrate Recovery. This year, it was Hull’s turn to host the event. We had organised a coach to take current and ex-clients to participate in the event. Unfortunately, circumstances beyond our control prevented the service from participating. However, thanks to some ‘nothing will deter me’ attitude, one of our staff, Tony Sunderland, together with an ex-member of staff and an ex-client, did travel to Hull and take part. They had a great time, representing St Anne’s and mixing with hundreds of other people from across the country celebrating Recovery.

“Our last event of the month was celebrating Recovery at Woodhouse Moor Parkrun in Leeds. Alcohol Services has a long association with Woodhouse Moor Parkrun. Being next door, clients have long been encouraged to use Parkrun as a form of exercise and a form of community engagement. On 30^th September, with Forward Leeds and Recovery Runners, we showed the positive side of recovery through participating in the event – running and walking – and publicising the good work of the services.

     Scott, Kathy, Kelly, Ben & Donna completed Parkrun!                 Telling Parkrunners about what we do

“Throughout Recovery month, we have been encouraging our clients to think about positive messages that they want to share with other people. This has resulted in several pieces of artwork appearing on the walls of the service, brightening the place up and allowing future clients and visitors of the service to be inspired by those who have gone before them”.

The Alcohol Service Team

At St Anne’s Training Academy, staff from Forward Leeds were trained in Social, Behaviour, and Network Therapy (SBNT).

Delivered by Sally Neal from Addictions Therapy UK, “This course develops an approach that captures the importance of social support in the recovery of addiction problems. Through a series of sessions, it is designed to acknowledge and improve communication and coping for all those involved with a view to preventing relapse.

Through experiential, seminar, and workshop-style learning, the practitioners will be able to identify and mobilise a network of supportive positive change for Service users. They will know and understand the rationale for both core and elective sessions within the framework of SBNT as well as begin to use their existing knowledge and skills in the context of being an SBNT therapist. There is a mixture of theory and practice within the teaching, with an emphasis on completing the course with enhanced skills to “Think Network” with both new and existing interventions.”

This training is designed to enhance the support that Forward Leeds staff can provide, helping them interact with clients on a deeper level, and also with those that are in their own networks. The use of the training rooms at Fountain Court enables open-space discussion and also provides breakout rooms with full technical support, a moving and assisting “bedroom”, a kitchen, and an excellent learning environment that can be tailored to the needs of those attending.

Our Hartwell Road Service in Leeds held its own staff and client awards on Tuesday 26th September.

At the event there was a slideshow of photos from the varying activities the service has held over the year so far, as well as food, gifts and certificates.

Everyone got a ‘Best Photo’ certificate and a thank you gift bag. The gift bag contained a face mask, mini mixed fruit & nut snack, a magic snake, a small Shloer and a handmade positive potato.

Staff also got award certificates such as ‘The Motivation Award’ for getting clients out and about and ‘The Exceptional Listener Awards’ for being patient. Not to forget Area Manager, Sharon, who received the ‘Keeping Us Safe Award’.

St Anne’s would like to say a massive thank you to everyone at Hartwell Road, both staff and clients alike.

We are proud to share that our York Outreach Team has achieved a CQC rating of ‘Good’.

Andrea Smith, Area Manager, said: “This rating reflects the incredible work of the team in providing truly person-centred care that exceeds our clients’ expectations, and empowers them to maximise their independence in their own homes.”

A huge shoutout to Charlotte Jones, Rachel Pyle, and the entire York Outreach Team for their phenomenal efforts!

Rachel said: “Over the last six months, we have delivered intensive interaction training, autism training, and continually upskilled colleagues to meet the needs of clients in a very person-centred way. The culture of the team is superb.”

Charlotte added: “It has been a privilege to work alongside Rachel and the team over the past six months. Achieving this rating is just the beginning. We are excited to build on this success and drive forward our PROUD values to support our clients.”

Lyndsay Atkinson-Swales, Director of Operations and Quality said: “ Thanks to all those involved in getting the service to ‘Good’, no matter what part you played it was a whole team effort. Well done everyone”.

Why the White Ribbon Campaign matters?

As the Director of Operations and Quality, and senior White Ribbon Champion, this campaign is deeply personal to me. It’s not just a professional commitment; it’s a cause rooted in my own lived experiences.

Growing up, I experienced controlling and coercive relationships within my childhood home. School should have been a safe space, but it wasn’t. The behaviour of certain male teachers meant I never truly felt secure there either. Those environments taught me what it feels like to be powerless, to drift without safety or support. It’s a feeling no woman or girl should ever have to endure.

Moving into my adult life, these experiences didn’t stop, they continued, especially during my young adulthood. I was physically and verbally assaulted by men because of my gender and sexuality, completely unprovoked. I didn’t know any of them. They targeted me simply because they could, and because no one around them stepped in to stop it.

That silence spoke volumes. It reinforced a sense of worthlessness that I carried for years, and in response, I developed coping mechanisms that were not safe. When you live in a world where harm goes unchecked, it shapes you in ways you don’t fully understand until much later.

From left to right Shaun Finegan, Adele Muhl, Julie Barker, Lyndsay Atkinson-Swales (author of this post)

How can men become allies?

Ending the violence against all women and girls is not “just a women’s issue”, it’s systemic and societal issue that needs men to stand up and speak up when they see these harmful biases, attitudes and behaviours.

I have positive men in my life; two wonderful close male friends and my two brothers have always respected me and built me up every single day. I feel safe and valued with them, and I know all four of these men would speak out if they saw harmful behaviour. They treat the women and girls in their lives with pride and dignity. They are proof that men can, and should, be allies, advocates, and protectors of equality.

What happens when these actions go unchallenged?

When behaviours go unchecked, whether it’s banter, jibes, or dismissive attitudes, they create a culture where harm can thrive. These seemingly small actions matter because they normalise disrespect and silence those who suffer.

I want men to stand up, speak out, and challenge these behaviours. Don’t allow them. Don’t laugh them off. Don’t allow anyone to feel unsafe.

Living in fear changes you. It makes you act in ways you later realise were your nervous system trying to cope with something you didn’t understand. That’s not okay. Women and girls deserve better. They deserve safety, respect, and equality.

The White Ribbon Campaign is about breaking that cycle.

It’s about creating a world where no woman or girl feels unsafe because of behaviours that could have been stopped. It starts with men taking responsibility, not just for their own actions, but for the culture they allow around them.

Silence is what allows the cycle of violence against women and girls to continue. That is why White Ribbon is challenging everyone, especially men who often hold more power and privilege, to speak up and use that influence to create change in their workplaces, communities and everyday life.

When we challenge sexist comments, biased attitudes, discrimination and harassment, we plant seeds of change. Over time, those seemingly small actions can change the way all women and girls (of every background, ability and identity) are treated.

How to support the White Ribbon cause?

Wear a White Ribbon and make the promise to raise awareness and start honest conversations with the people closest to you, whether that’s friends, colleagues or your wider community.

Want to go a step further? Become a White Ribbon Ambassador or Champion:

• Ambassadors are men (and people who identify as men) who help spread the message and set an example in their workplaces, communities and social circles.
• Champions are women (or anyone who doesn’t identify as a man) who keep the conversations going, encourage men to get involved and make sure woman’s voices are heard and part of the change.

What does White Ribbon mean for us here at St Annes

On the left Lisa Monaghan, Area Manager for Mental Health and Outreach, West Yorkshire. On the Right, Philip Hassall, Head of Quality and Continuous Improvement

We are proud to have achieved our White Ribbon accreditation here at St Annes. As an organisation that supports women who have experienced domestic abuse, this work is deeply personal to us. This accreditation reflects our commitment to ending violence against women and promoting respectful relationships in our workplace and community.

Join us at St Anne’s in standing up and speaking out because silence is not an option.

When Lee returned to our Bevin Court service, Sheffield in April this year, it marked his third stay at the hostel, but this time, something was very different.

Lee had been on a long and often difficult journey through addiction, mental health challenges, and time in custody. But today, he stands on the threshold of a new chapter in his life, preparing to move into ‘The Greens’, an addiction rehabilitation centre in Sheffield, that requires residents to be substance-free. It’s a milestone that reflects months of hard work, commitment, and personal transformation.

Lee’s journey hasn’t been easy. A former soldier, he struggled to adjust to civilian life after leaving the army, finding it difficult to relate to everyday pressures after years of facing life-or-death situations. That internal disconnect eventually led to a life of crime, drug use, and even prison time.

“I thought I was one of the big boys and at the same time, my mental health was collapsing, I think due to trauma’s I faced in my army days. I wished myself dead most days or that I would be given a life sentence as I found prison easier than civilian life”, Lee shared.

Lee first came to Bevin Court over 15 years ago, when the environment was far from stable, and admits he was part of the chaos at the time. Now, many years and setbacks later, something shifted. Upon returning in April, Lee found a new team in place, and for the first time in a long while, he felt seen and heard.

“The first 7-10 days I wanted to end my life every day and came very close to doing this. But as it happened there were new staff at the hostel and this had an impact on me. A couple of kind gestures from staff came my way, and because I had not had this in a long time and didn’t think this would ever come my way again, there was no way on earth I was going to let them down. I was determined this was my time to change and there was no going back”, Lee said.

Those simple acts of compassion sparked something powerful. Lee decided this would be the turning point. Three months later, he’s clean, focused, and ready for a fresh start, but more than that, he’s looking to give back.

“I plan to return to St Anne’s as a volunteer, supporting others on their recovery journeys”, he said, working alongside his substance misuse worker, Sarah.

“I am looking forward to doing this because there is a lot inside me that I want to give back. I look in the mirror and don’t recognise the man I used to be, I am alive” Lee said.

He’s also shared his story in this year’s Recovery Advent for Sheffield, a candid, heartfelt reflection that shows just how far he’s come.

“Life is good,” Lee added. “I feel happy because, for the first time in a long time, I’m in control of me.”

The transformation, both physically and emotionally in Lee, is remarkable, and the team at Bevin Court couldn’t be prouder. Lee’s story is a powerful reminder of the impact of kindness, the importance of second chances, and the strength it takes to rebuild.

Well done Lee!

“It’s the addiction that tells you that you can’t dance, sing, socialise, or roller skate without a drink. The truth is, you can do everything without alcohol, and I’m living proof.”

When Ruth was asked to share her recovery journey, her first reaction wasn’t pride or excitement — it was dread. “I was filled with an overwhelming sense of horror and doom,” she admitted. “What will people think? How would I be judged?”

That fear of stigma, the inner voice of shame, is something Ruth now recognises as one of addiction’s most insidious things – the thing that keeps people isolated and trapped. But instead of running from it, Ruth has embraced it and has leaned into the vulnerability, confronted her past and is reclaiming her life story.

Ruth’s descent into addiction wasn’t sudden. Like many others, it was shaped by trauma, anxiety, and a lack of boundaries, issues at the time she hadn’t yet learned to name or face. Alcohol became her way of coping, and while she had periods of sobriety, the return was inevitable each time life started to overwhelm her.

Her turning point came in August 2019, after losing her job and hitting “rock bottom.” She reached out to Forward Leeds and began attending SMART meetings in Seacroft, Leeds. “That’s when I started to view alcohol differently,” she recalls. With the support of her keyworker, Ruth explored more structured, CBT-based recovery options – and was introduced to the idea of residential rehab.

At first, the idea seemed daunting. “I thought people were dragged to rehab kicking and screaming… I imagined it was a tragic and miserable place.” But Ruth was willing to try anything to stay sober. Just under five months alcohol-free, she walked into St Anne’s Residential Rehab in January 2020 – and literally into a new life.

“From the minute I walked through the front door, I was greeted with kindness and compassion. I knew straight away that I was going to settle in, and I did.”

Far from the bleak place she’d imagined, St Anne’s Alcohol Services offered structure, safety, and surprising joy. “I don’t think I’ve laughed as much as I did during my time in rehab,” Ruth said. “From games nights to pool tournaments, I played, danced, and talked to strangers, all without a thought for alcohol.”

But recovery wasn’t just about fun. The work was intense and often painful. In sessions on anger and anxiety, topics she initially didn’t think applied to her, Ruth uncovered lifelong patterns she’d never recognised.

“I discovered I’d lived all my life with acute anxiety and unresolved anger. I just hadn’t identified them and that’s where alcohol had helped, or so I thought.”

Through therapy, she learned to identify her triggers and develop healthier coping strategies. “I still suffer from anxiety,” she admits, “but now I control it instead of it controlling me.”

Ruth’s rehab journey didn’t end at the doors of St Anne’s. The transition back into the world was supported by the “In Touch” programme, regular check-ins with staff and peers that helped bridge the gap between treatment and everyday life – a critical support, especially as she re-entered the world during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Determined to rebuild her life, Ruth began volunteering, studying, and re-engaging with her community. She completed a Diploma in Social Action and supported others through local initiatives. But the dream of returning to nursing, a career she’d once loved – felt distant. She faced professional restrictions and lots of internal doubt.

Then came a job posting: Detox Nurse at St Anne’s.

“I was in a quandary,” Ruth says. “What if they didn’t remember me? What if they didn’t want me?” But she pushed through the fear and called. Jonathan, the manager, remembered her well – and welcomed her back.

“Even though I had practice restrictions, I was never made to feel like a burden. I was supported with kindness and patience, and made to feel my contributions were valued. For that, I’ll always be grateful.”

She started working in September 2022. By March 2023, her restrictions were lifted. Today, she’s a fully reinstated nurse and an integral part of the St Anne’s team, helping others through the very journey that saved her life.

As of August 2025, Ruth will be six years sober.

“I have never been happier,” she says. “Sobriety is entirely doable if you want it enough, but I couldn’t have done it without rehab. St Anne’s didn’t just change my life. It gave me it back.”

Ruth’s story is more than a testimony of personal triumph. It’s proof that recovery is possible, that joy exists on the other side of addiction, and that sometimes, the most powerful healers are those who’ve walked the path themselves.

Ruth is pictured below (centre) with colleagues Laura Walker and Jonathan Philpott (Alcohol Services manager).

On  Wednesday 11th June, we gathered at Headingley Stadium in Leeds for our Annual PROUD Awards – a celebration of the remarkable dedication of the people who make St Anne’s so special: our colleagues, volunteers, and clients.

The event began with an inspiring keynote speech from Leeds Rhinos legend Jamie Jones-Buchanan, who shared his powerful insights on overcoming adversity and the vital role of community. We also heard moving reflections from John Cleland (our Chair of Trustees) and Ira Jeffers (our Head of People), each speaking passionately about what fills them with pride at St Anne’s.

The day was full of energy and featured a variety of fun competitions including bingo, heads and tails, ‘play your cards right’, and a great prize draw.

Everyone was inspired by the heartfelt stories shared by several of our clients, who gave us wonderful insights into their personal PROUD journeys. The event was made even more special by amazing performances from the St Anne’s Choir.

We’re delighted to celebrate the winners of our 2025 Awards – exceptional colleagues and teams whose dedication and achievements truly embody our PROUD values.

OUR WINNERS:

🏆 Nurse of the Year – Gerard Wainwright (Oxfield Court Day Service)
For his unwavering commitment to person-centred care, respect, collaboration, and tireless advocacy for clients.

🏆 Employee of the Year – Adele Muhl (Domestic Violence Lead, SSTS/Resource Centre)
Adele has gone above and beyond with her role as Domestic Violence lead in supporting clients within the organisation. Her extensive and in-depth knowledge has supported clients in difficult and distressing situations.

🏆 Client Volunteer (Operations) – Hussain Turner Butt
For years of dedicated service at the British Heart Foundation charity shop, where his hard work and commitment have earned the admiration of all managers.

🏆 Client Volunteer (Housing) – Ashley Parkin
A cornerstone of our Residents’ Forum, Ashley contributes thoughtfully and constructively, always focused on enhancing our services.

🏆 Community Volunteer – Marie Lewis
A devoted family member of a client at Astbury, Marie generously shares her time, helping clients develop life skills and raising vital funds for the service.

🏆 Continuous Improvement – Sam Padidar Nazar & Sarah Halliwell (Bevin Court)
For their passionate, ongoing efforts to deliver meaningful activities that have played a key role in supporting clients’ rehabilitation journeys.

🏆 Leader of the Year (Central) – Stephen Savage (Head of I.T.)
Stephen exemplifies our values in all he does – leading with integrity, responsiveness, and deep respect for every individual.

🏆 Leader of the Year (Operations) – Lisa Monaghan (Area Manager)
A thoughtful and skilled leader, Lisa continues to grow and uplift her team with practical insight and a commitment to excellence.

🏆 Emerging Leader – Cara Whittle (Oxfield Court Day Service)
As Clinical Lead, Cara goes above and beyond with exceptional compassion, skill, and professionalism.

🏆 Newcomer of the Year (Central) – Lyndsay Cutmore (Head of Operations)
A person-centred, kind, and experienced professional, Lyndsay has quickly made her mark with her energy and leadership.

🏆 Newcomer of the Year (Operations) – Leah Roberts (Hawthorn Avenue)
Leah brings enthusiasm, warmth, and a deeply client-focused approach, making a lasting impact through her work.

🏆 We Are St Anne’s – Gail Mann (The Crescent)
For her continued, heartfelt commitment to those she supports, consistently placing their well-being at the forefront.

🏆 We Are St Anne’s – Rich Wormwell (Head of Recruitment & EVP)
For his exemplary leadership in recruitment and retention throughout the year.

🏆 Team of the Year – 23 Foston Lane
A newly formed team that has driven significant improvements in quality and compliance, demonstrating creativity and innovation to enrich clients’ lives.

🏆 Manager of the Year – Lindsay Hodgson (South Tyneside Services)
Though new to management, Lindsay faces every challenge with compassion, dedication, and a drive for continuous improvement- truly embodying the spirit of social care.

🌟 PROUD Award Winner – Gerard Wainwright (Oxfield Court Day Service)
In addition to being named Nurse of the Year, Gerard received our flagship PROUD Award for his outstanding leadership and exceptional care.

Well done to all our winners

Celebrating Choice, Confidence, and Connection at Outreach Kirklees

At our Outreach Kirklees service, person-centred support isn’t just a principle – it’s a way of life. Every day, the team supports individuals to empower them to live fully, freely, and on their own terms. Just ask Carol and Julie – two amazing clients whose stories shine a light on what truly tailored support can achieve.

Carol’s Days, Her Way

With a huge smile and a zest for independence, Carol is embracing each day exactly how she wants – supported by Outreach Worker Sarah, and guided by what brings her happiness and meaning.

One of Carol’s favourite places? The Longwood Village Group Memory Café (Huddersfield). Surrounded by comforting memory toys from the 1940s and ’50s, Carol comes alive – especially when the soft memory cats are nearby. “They’re all mine!” she beams, holding them close.

But that’s just one part of a busy life. Carol’s week is filled with treasured routines and long-standing connections. She’s a familiar face at a local sheltered housing community hub – a place she’s called a second home for over 20 years. Fridays? Well, that’s fish and chips with friends – a non-negotiable tradition she looks forward to all week.

And self-care? That’s part of Carol’s personal toolkit for confidence. Regular nail and foot pamper sessions help her feel relaxed, polished, and very proud.

Looking ahead, she’s already planning her summer seaside trip – returning to Lytham St Anne’s, a destination close to her heart.

“Seeing Carol thrive is just perfect,” said Sarah. “That’s exactly why I love this job.”

Julie’s Joy in New Experiences

Then there’s Julie – always up for adventure, music, and fun. Just last week, she was out at Huddersfield Town Hall, singing along to the hits of The Beautiful South, surrounded by live music and great company. These are the moments that make smiles and build confidence – the kind that make life rich with great memories.

Outreach support is not about ticking boxes. It’s about people, their choices, and their voices. It’s about what matters most to them – whether that’s memory cafés or music gigs, and pamper days or seaside escapes. This is what person-centred care is about … this is living life their way

As part of our Mental Health Awareness Week celebrations, the Boulevard and Hull outreach teams brought together staff and clients for a Community Wellbeing Walk and Positive Pickle Picnic, and it turned out to be much more than just a walk.

The whole event was co-produced with the people we support, from choosing the route and setting the pace to picking out picnic goodies. The group walked 4.66 miles of a 5.7-mile trail, but the real progress came in the form of benefits to well-being.

Here are just a few of the outcomes from the day:

• Clients felt empowered and uplifted
• Anxiety eased, and real conversations happened
• A small gift made a big emotional impact

Some of the clients gave the best feedback:

“I loved that, it was so nice to be outdoors. If we do any more walking trips, I’d love to come.”
“Can we take a lamb back to service, please? We’ll look after it!”

And this message, shared by a client at the end of the day, really captured all of it:

“I just wanted to say thank you for today. I really do like you all already, and I already feel so excited and nervous — but that’s okay! I’m grateful that you invited me… thank you for my positive pickle present. I came back and showed everyone. You won’t know how much this means to me!!”

Kirstie Akrill, Manager, summed it up beautifully:

“Completing the walk created a huge sense of pride. You could see the group relax and connect with every step, and that really supported reducing anxiety and boosting moods. Mental health support isn’t just about services; it’s about shared experiences and valuing every achievement and client contribution.”

This is a great example of how meaningful, inclusive activities can make a difference.

“Walking side by side creates a unique space – for real talk, laughter, and hope.”
— Sarah Halliwell, Substance Misuse Support Worker

On Sunday 13th April, clients from our Bevin Court service in Sheffield took part in their first-ever Sunday ‘Recovery Walk’ – a client-led idea brought to life through the Recovery Bus Pass Scheme, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The walk, supported by Sarah Halliwell and Nicola Jackson, began with a bus ride to Sheffield City Centre, followed by a scenic stroll to Victoria Quays. There, the group explored the local craft market, enjoyed shared food, and continued along the canal to Ice Sheffield. Their journey ended with a picnic in the sunshine and watching a local cricket match – complete with well-deserved ice creams.

“Sundays can be tough… this gives us something to look forward to,” said client Ben.

So what made this walk so special?

• Real connection outside the service setting
• Mindfulness and fresh air through gentle exercise
• Informal chats that opened up deeper conversations

“Getting out as a group boosts well-being, builds bonds, and creates space for relaxed conversations,” said Nicola Jackson, Mental Health Worker. She added: “Clients open up in a way they don’t in the office – and that’s invaluable for the recovery process.”

The walk is just the beginning. Next stop? The Rivelin Valley Trail. And after that – the Peak District and beyond.

“By empowering individuals to make their own choices and take control of their lives, we support them to create lasting change.”
— Terri Vardy, Manager at Cardigan Road

Over the past six months, Paul, a resident at our Cardigan Road service in Leeds, has been on an inspiring journey of growth, confidence, and achievement.

Every Thursday, Paul has been a familiar and friendly face at Café Leep, where he’s channeled his passion for cooking into something truly transformative. Initially, he joined the kitchen class looking for a boost in confidence and support to begin taking steps toward independence.

Fast forward to today — not only has Paul completed the cooking course and earned a well-deserved qualification, but he’s also preparing for a major life milestone: moving into his very own flat!

From Learner to Leader

Through his dedication and the support of the team at Café Leep, Paul has built the skills and self-belief to take this next step. Speaking about his progress, Paul proudly shared:“I’m super proud of myself for doing it.”

And we couldn’t agree more.

The Café Leep team describes Paul as:

“A superstar and a pleasure to work with.”

Community Pride

At Cardigan Road, staff and fellow residents alike are beaming with pride. There’s even talk of people hoping to sneak in one more taste of Paul’s cooking before he moves — and honestly, who could blame them?

Paul’s story is a shining example of what’s possible when people are empowered, supported, and believed in. His journey reflects our PROUD Values

Congratulations, Paul — your future is bright, and we’re all cheering you on!

 Community organisations in Sheffield are uniting to create greater life opportunities for individuals in emergency and temporary accommodation.

Recognising that sustainable independence requires more than just housing support, St Anne’s Community Services is leading a dynamic partnership that is that focusing on rebuilding confidence, enhancing wellbeing, and equipping clients who have experienced homelessness with essential life and employment skills.

At the forefront of the initiative is St Anne’s Training and Activity Coordinator, Sam Padidar-Nazar, who highlights the programme’s transformative impact:

“We have taken a big picture view and developed a programme which is about creating spaces where individuals feel valued, inspired, and supported. So far, we have taken clients orienteering, climbing, and even hiking in the Peak District, alongside regular gym sessions.”

Working alongside Places Leisure, Sheffield City Council’s Changing Futures Programme, employment specialists ‘Endeavour,’ and Sheffield’s ‘Community Wellness Group’, the initiative blends physical wellbeing with employability support, ensuring participants gain both a pathway to a healthier lifestyle and improved employment prospects.

Maddie Sweetman, Project Coordinator with Endeavour, emphasised the programme’s practical impact:

“We’ve concentrated on equipping participants with skills and confidence for the workplace. We have even been able to support people with interview clothing following their departure from Bevin Court.”

The impact on participants has been profound. Those involved have shared their experiences:

• “It keeps me focused, and I feel so much better about myself. I want to look forward, and this is really helping.”
• “I feel I can achieve things again, and I am starting to gain the motivation to want to do more – something I have not felt in a long time.”
• “I felt low. But now, it’s like I am bettering myself for the first time in years. It has taken time to believe that I could do things. I just did not believe in myself anymore.”
• “I never thought I would do these things, like abseiling and caving. My life never gave me that chance. But now, I am pushing myself. I want to try more – not just the activities, but for myself and my future.”

Azra Kirkby, CEO of St Anne’s Community Services, praised the multi-agency approach:

“Cross-sector collaboration can lead to life-changing outcomes. By combining expertise in health, wellbeing, and employability, Bevin Court has created a wraparound programme that empowers individuals with the right skills and wellbeing tools to move forward to brighter futures. It is remarkable to see the transformations.”

Pictured below are images of some of the activities undertaken:

In late January, our Resource Centre, in Leeds, hosted an inspiring event, combining good food with live music.

The event was organised in collaboration with Sharon Beaumont, a talented singer-songwriter and manager in our Finance Team, along with her co-writer and guitarist Rik. Together, they delivered a “Come Dine with Me” style lunch with live music – which focussed on new starts for the new year, and moving forward.

The Resource Centre has long recognised that support for the homeless and vulnerably housed extends beyond providing essential services such as food, washing facilities, and advocacy.

“Support is also about creating an environment that uplifts, inspires, and breaks up the daily challenges our clients face,” said Fiona Petrie, Resource Centre Manager. Fiona added “The importance of frequent events and guest contributions, such as hairdressing sessions and special lunches, help bring a sense of normality and comfort to the lives of those who visit the centre”.

The event featured hot, fresh, and healthy food supplied by Sharon’s food partnership, Bob’s Bongo Bakes. Sharon described her vision for the event: “I wanted to create a relaxing lunch environment where clients could chat openly over food – about the messages in the music, which focused on themes of new beginnings, empowerment, and change.”

The event started great conversations, with one client joining in to read part of the script, while others chatted with Rik about his experiences playing in different bands.

The impact of the event was evident in the feedback from clients:

• “It was lovely to come into the centre to hear music.” – DS
• “I was so proud to take part and feel involved. I had the best day.” – DB
• “I felt sad hearing the lyrics but would think about what was said.” – JM
• “I don’t come here often, but today was good with the music and the stories. I am alcohol dependent, and it made me sit for a minute without drinking.” – LM

Sharon and Rik are now looking to take their musical message further.

“Rik and I have written a musical, ‘Overcome Musical’, and our vision is to take the message of rehab and life options into theatres, schools, and workshops, using music as a creative, impactful tool for change,” shared Sharon.

Fiona summed up the event by expressing her gratitude: “A big thank you to Sharon and Rik for bringing such positivity to the Resource Centre. For those who attended, it was a positive experience, and with staff support and more sessions, it is a great way of supporting clients to move forward.”

Congratulations to our Foxview Service in Dewsbury which has been rated ‘Good’ by the CQC.

Foxview offers a nursing short break service for people living with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and autistic people, this enables a mutually beneficial service for people to have a good experience and their relatives to receive a break too.

The report was highly positive of the staff team and highlighted relatives felt both involved and engaged.

This reflects the fantastic work of the staff team, manager, and our Quality team. Well done all

We are delighted to welcome an incredible group of new trustees. Steve Hodgson James Place Rachel Leyland FCIPD Deana Burgoyne who all bring a wealth of expertise, skills, and experience, strengthening our ability to drive forward our mission: ‘A Life Without Limits’ for the individuals and communities we support.

This is an especially exciting moment for us, as we also proudly announce the appointment of our first Resident Representative to the Board Sarah Clarke. This pivotal role will enhance our commitment to client co-production and engagement, ensuring that the voices of those we support remain at the heart of everything we do.

The diverse perspectives and insights of our new trustees will enrich our work, empowering us to tackle challenges, embrace opportunities, and create meaningful positive change.

To discover more about our new trustees, see: Meet The Team – St Annes

Healthwatch County Durham, last week awarded a Star Award to Nicola Howey for support given to a client whilst she was working at Marwood Park.

One of the parents of a client at the service nominated Nicola and said how sh

e had helped her son with serious illness and recognised her outstanding contribution to the care.

Healthwatch noted that Nicola, who now is Manager at Allan Gray Court, has worked for St Anne’s for 20 years and consistently delivers person centred support, putting the clients at the heart of everything she does and inspiring the rest of the team.

Nicola said; “I was so happy and grateful to receive the award, it is nice to be recognised by the family of a client, but it really is a team effort.”

Well done Nicola – we are so proud of you

Each year in September, services that support people with substance use issues have an opportunity to celebrate people’s achievements through ‘Recovery Month’.

Alcohol Services, in Leeds has used Recovery Month as an opportunity to showcase its work in several different ways, including activities with partner organisations.

On 7 September, recovery-based services in Leeds, including Recovery Runners and the Forward Leeds 5-ways service, as well as Alcohol Services, joined together to celebrate recovery at the Woodhouse Moor Parkrun event. As well as publicising the work of recovery services in the city, clients and staff had opportunities to run or walk the 5k event, or volunteer as marshals. Marie, Lorraine and Sabina clapped and cheered the runners and walkers on, which included the Alcohol Services’ Manager, Jonathan.

Over the course of the month, the service has been able to celebrate the completion of the residential rehab programme of 7 of our clients. Ollie, Stewart, Mhari and Nathan, [pictured with their certificates of completion], and Lorrain, Nasreen and Mark [pictured with their certificates of completion], who were joined by family and friends to receive their certificates of completion, and as part of this event, there were opportunities for each of them to reflect on their recovery journeys. All of them talked about the positive support provided by other clients, with Ollie saying, ‘The strongest glue that’s kept me held together… is the connection and the community.’

Mhari spoke of her time, saying ‘The best analogy for me is a mosaic… We arrive splintered, shattered and fragmented. We leave here continuing to put the pieces back together and we will add many more new pieces. We will always be a work in progress… but we are starting to sparkle and shine again.’

During September, the service has encouraged their talented clients to create Recovery-themed artwork to inspire others. Now adorning the walls at Alcohol Services, some of the artwork is pictured here.

Mark has been inspired so much by his newfound gift for art that he has signed up for an art course at a local college.

Although September has been a special reason to celebrate recovery, here we will go on celebrating recovery every month as we continue to applaud clients in their achievements.

As part of Recovery Month, St Anne’s Community Services, Likewise and Project 6 came together to take part in a fantastic football tournament held at Bevin Court, Sheffield, on 19th September.

Three amazing teams took to the field, and played some great football and everyone who took part was really proud of being part of such an event. All of the guys taking part were in different stages of recovery but they all stated that events like this were such a big part in their own individual journeys.

Kallum and Ish, who are both staff at Bevin Court, also took part in the games and both had sore legs the day after but said that it was worth the pain to be able to take part and support all the guys from the three projects taking part. A large number of clients from all three services attended to just watch the football and to enjoy the day.

All the players and spectators got together after the football to celebrate with a fantastic meal which was enjoyed by all.

David Peers, Hostel Manager at Bevin Court said:

“During the meal I took the opportunity to talk to all the guys, and they all told me how important it is to come together to share stories about recovery and what it meant to each and everyone, and that they were able to support each other”.

We are so proud of the team at Bevin Court for hosting and supporting the tournament,  and the feedback since the event from our clients has been huge. Well done to everyone.

Over the bank holiday weekend, we had the privilege of taking part in Europe’s oldest Carnival, the Leeds West Indian Carnival (26^th August).

This year the event took on a grander scale as the parade made two laps through Chapeltown in Leeds, which helped with the theme for the year ‘So Nice, We Jammin’ Twice‘.

The streets of Chapeltown were transformed into a colourful display of culture and creativity, and we were able to join in the dancing with a special collaboration with the AAA Dance Troupe who danced with the theme “Angels and Archangels” – ‘A tribute to lost loved ones’.

Established in 1967 the event brings together 100,000 visitors to celebrate culture, creativity and community.

Eunice, of one of our team at the event said

“It was really a great day it was nice meeting everyone. We really enjoyed our first Carnival, on behalf of my family would like to thank the organisers for the opportunity to be part of a great family and represent the organisation. Thank you all”

Michael, who was also part of the St Anne’s team said

“Joining the parade was incredible. It felt like I was part of something bigger, dancing alongside strangers who all seemed like friends. The energy was electric, and there was such a strong sense of community. It was one of those moments where everything else faded away, and all that mattered was the joy and freedom of the celebration”.

Ira Jeffers, our Director of People said:

“The event was a massive success so thank you to all that attended and contributed to all the planning and organising to get us to the position of been able to celebrate yesterday.  I know it has been a massive effort and chasing at times which is really appreciated.

“The weather held up which always helps, my boys loved it too (even if only one would have his face decorated, so thanks Sandeep!).  Lovely to see so many people on the day.  Same again next year”.

Pictured below are some of the wonderful images of the day, and the St Anne’s stall. Huge thanks to all the team who took part and helping with the organisation. 

Earlier this year we conducted a Tenant Satisfaction Measures survey, in line with the new Tenant Satisfaction Measure standard set out by the Regulator for Social Housing.

We contacted all 276 of our housing tenants of which we received 88 responses, representing a 32% response rate and statistically valid sample.

Overall satisfaction with our housing service was 77%, which benchmarks well externally with the median for similar organisations being 77.5%. Larger organisations are typically achieving 65%.

The survey was mainly a face-to-face exercise, where we called on residents for pre-arranged visits.

Our key areas for improvement include complaints handling, satisfaction with St Anne’s contribution to neighbourhood and anti-social behaviour, with complaints being the most pressing issue for tenants. We have measures in place and underway to address these areas of the service.

We were pleased to see the satisfaction metrics with repairs were in excess of 80%. While there is room for improvement, we again perform well when compared to similar organisations.

Our Shared Lives team, carers, and clients had a great time in Roundhay Park in Leed on 25th June when they did a treasure hunt as part of Shared Lives Week.

The group enjoyed networking together, the quiz, and of course the ice creams.

Our carers really do change lives.

Gerard Wainwright, manager from our Heatherstones service in Halifax, has led the Unsafe Swallow Project as part of a Queens Nursing Award, which we are very proud to announce has been nominated as a Finalist in the Royal College of Nursing Awards 2022.

The project aims to address health inequalities that result in a disproportionately high number of people with learning disabilities dying because of aspiration pneumonia caused by swallowing difficulties.

As the project started at the same time as the Covid pandemic, it initially provided webinar-based training to non-nursing services identified as supporting people with learning disabilities at risk of unsafe swallowing.

Free video learning resources were developed that have been used by hundreds of people globally. Webinar training has also been delivered to NHS trusts, nurse graduates and other organisations. Services have reported improved confidence of healthcare staff and improved health for the people they care for.

Gerard worked with clients from St Anne’s to develop the project including Robert Cooper and Michael Ludlum, and indeed the project is dedicated to the memory of Michael Ludlum

We are so proud of Gerrard Wainwright and Robert Cooper  and wish them well with the final awards.

You can discover more about the project here (please click on the image)

Our staff from Heatherstones did a wonderful walk on the canal towpath which runs from Copley to Sowerby Bridge. There were six of our clients and seven members of staff on the outing. This had to be carefully planned as Calderdale is very hilly and it can be difficult to support our clients in their wheelchairs outdoors. But we do all we can to ensure they have safe access to the local community and are able to get the most from spending time in green open spaces.

All of us are becoming aware of the benefits of nature. But often take access for granted and assume if there are paths or pavements these will be accessible to all. For many of our clients with larger wheelchairs this is not the case, the camber of the surface can cause the chair to lean to the left or right making it difficult to push adapted wheelchairs, curbs are often too high to manoeuvre the wheelchair from curb to road or road to curb, many surfaces are uneven, cobbled or hazardous in other ways and steep hills or even gentle slopes can present a significant challenge.

The journey from Heatherstones to the canal involves a very steep hill as we’re located at the top of the valley and the canal is in the valley bottom; pushing chairs downhill can be difficult as the chairs start to pick up momentum and need to be held back. If we had individually driven all our clients to the canal that would have involved six separate journeys’ there and back; they would have also missed out on a significant part of the whole experience and sense of adventure.

We believe it’s important for our clients to experience different sensations and terrains in a safe way as it’s all too easy to shelter people with profound and multiple learning disabilities from certain aspects of life because the potential challenges appear too difficult. There are so many sensory and other opportunities outdoors that we feel our clients would miss out without making the effort to support these experiences. The canal is a haven for wildlife and we saw a crane and many other water birds. For people with profound and multiple learning disabilities the physical sensation of sunlight reflected on the water and passing through the leaves of overhanging trees, the smells of wildflowers and the sound of birdsong offer immediate benefits and reward to spending time outdoors.

After so long spent shielding our clients in order to keep them safe throughout the pandemic being out in natural surroundings has had a significant positive benefit.  It’s a great opportunity to be outdoors, feel the elements and spend some time in a different environment. Mental Health Awareness Week is an opportunity to reflect on our own and our clients mental health and take opportunities to enjoy green spaces in our local community. We are aiming to plan regular accessible walks in the countryside in and around Calderdale, although it can be a challenge supporting clients in wheelchairs the benefits are well worth the effort

We are so proud to see our Heatherstones Service manager, Gerard Wainwright win the Learning Disability category of the RCN Nursing Awards (Royal College of Nusing).

Gerard led the Unsafe Swallow Project to address the disproportionately high number of people with learning disabilities who die because of aspiration pneumonia caused by swallowing difficulties.

Inspired by a former patient with cerebral palsy who almost died of aspiration pneumonia in 2015, Gerard was determined to raise awareness of the health inequalities caused by unsafe swallowing.

Gerard said: ‘I’ve been aware of and concerned about dysphagia and aspiration risk for people with learning disabilities for many years and have nursed numerous people who have died because of aspiration pneumonia,’ he said. ‘These are people I’ve developed close relationships with and cared about, people whose families I’ve got to know, people whose health and well-being I am deeply invested in.’

The project, which was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, initially provided webinar-based training to non-nursing services supporting people with learning disabilities at risk of unsafe swallowing. Free video learning resources were developed that have now been used by hundreds of people globally.

Services have reported greater knowledge of and confidence in identifying unsafe swallowing, as well as better awareness of referral pathways, following the training. Many say they have seen a reduction in aspiration-related chest infections. Those with more complex clients report reduced hospital admissions as a result of using techniques such as postural drainage, positioning at mealtimes and recording vital signs.

Gerard said it was ‘amazing’ to win the award. ‘Having the opportunity to try to ensure that in future risks are reduced and unnecessary deaths do not occur is something that’s important to me,’ he said. ‘Winning this award will hopefully provide a platform to share that message more widely, make a greater difference and reach a wider audience.’

My name is Ian. I’ve been involved with St Anne’s for about eighteen years now. I used to have a casual cleaning post at Heatherstones but that stopped about two years ago. I still attend all their parties and events and have developed friendships with the people who live and work there.

 For the last twenty years I’ve been making ceramics. I’ve had exhibitions at Dean Clough Gallery in Halifax and Northlight in Hebden Bridge. Recently I had an exhibition of my work at Heatherstones. My ceramics are very colourful, which I feel is part of who I am. My favourite colour is pink and I love dressing up. I work in a charity shop on Sundays and often buy clothes there. For my fortieth birthday party I had a Disney Princess theme and dressed as Snow White – an artist friend painted me. My upcoming 50^th will have a Halloween theme.

My ceramics are usually based on animals, through them I can express some of my own feelings. Being myself is important to me but it’s also been challenging at times. When I was younger, wearing skirts and colourful tights and leggings could get an unwanted reaction from people. But I always tried not to let that get in the way of being myself, even though it was difficult at times and sometimes I felt unsafe. I try to celebrate the importance of being my true self through my ceramics, some of my pieces may seem vulnerable, sometimes I try to show how an animal like a gorilla or tiger that might seem scary to us can be kind on the inside and protect a smaller animal like a piglet or mouse. I like my animals to be bright and wear vibrant spots, stripes, and other designs. Why shouldn’t a penguin be orange if it wants to be, or a rhino have a pink horn?

I also like to travel. With some of my friends from my ceramics class I’ve visited Venice, Amsterdam, Paris, and Berlin to see the artworks in the galleries and museums there and to find out how other people live. I’m a keen runner and a member of the Harriers running club. I’m also part of Luv 2 Meet U, a friendship group for people with learning disabilities, and an LGBTQ+ group.

Sometimes people think that if someone has a learning disability, they can’t achieve things. Sometimes they think we must behave or dress in a certain way. I hope I can help show others that they can do the things they really want to do. They can have talents and gifts and they don’t have be what other people want them to be. It’s important to me that I live my own life as I want to live it and I hope that I can help set an example for other people to find their own way.

Welcome to the latest St Anne’s update, ‘Without Limits’

It has been a busy year with lots happening across our services, our clients have enjoyed many experiences, events, day’s out and celebrations. To access the lastest edition, please see here

We are PROUD to support all our clients to live “a life without limits”.

We are delighted to announce that we have been successful as the new provider of the Redwood Glades Extra Care scheme in Hull.

Redwood Glades is one of three extra care schemes run by Hull City Council. Extra Care is integrated intergenerational housing, care, and support. People living in Extra Care benefit from having care and support services, whilst also being able to access community facilities and activities. People live in a self-contained flat, with their own front door, but staff are available up to 24 hours per day to provide personal care and support services. The service supports clients to live full and independent lives in their own homes.

Shona Beaton, Director of Operations, Quality and Continuous Improvement for St Anne’s said “We look forward to commencing the contract in November and working alongside people who live within the Extra Care Scheme to ensure we support them to live their best lives”.

For more information on Hull Extra Care please see here

After missing the last 2 years due to the pandemic, St Anne’s were incredibly excited to be part of Leeds Pride 2022. Our charity had the privilege of taking part in the parade, as well as hosting a stall on Leeds Bridge.

Clients, staff, family, and friends came together to walk through the city centre in the glorious sunshine. Custom T-shirts were printed for members of the parade, however, our superstar client, Gregy, stole the show dressed head to toe in rainbow, complete with wig, cape, and feathered wings.

We’ll continue to celebrate and practice equality, diversity, and inclusion in our organisation, empowering individuals to be their best selves. We’re proud to be St Anne’s and we can’t wait to celebrate again at next year’s event!

Proud to be a Lord Mayors Charity

We are very proud to be one of the Lord Mayor’s of Leeds Charities for the year 2022/23. 

Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Roberts Gettings MBE JP, will be raising money for four different charities; Martin House Children’s Hospice, St George’s Crypt, Simon on the Streets and St Anne’s Community Services.

We look forward to working with the Lord Mayor and other charities across Leeds during the year.

If you would like to support this years work, please see here

 St Anne’s Community Service, a proud partner in Forward Leeds, the alcohol and drug service, is thrilled by the recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection rating of the service as “Outstanding”.

Detailed as ‘highly innovative’, the report goes on to state that the service “truly considered the needs of different groups of people using its service” and that the “staff treated clients with compassion and kindness and respect”.

Former user of the service Mathew Sharp said: “It is fantastic to see Forward Leeds recognised as an outstanding service. It was remarkable to have their support and help through my recovery. They are always there for you. The staff are amazing, they work with you, they understand what you’re going through and will help you understand yourself”.

As part of the inspection, the CQC spoke to ten clients and one carer. Everyone they spoke to provided positive feedback about the service. Clients stated that the staff were really supportive and caring and went above and beyond and had really helped them to move forward with their lives. They added they were told that the service felt like a safe place and that clients felt respected and not judged.

Azra Kirkby, Chief Executive Officer for St Anne’s Community Services said: “We are truly proud to be part of the Forward Leeds partnership.

“The inspection stated, Forward Leeds worked extremely effectively with its partner organisations… enabling highly effective collaboration.

“The commitment and dedication of all the teams working so effectively together, to support individuals and communities across Leeds is outstanding. The report is a testament to their hard work and truly person-centred approach.”

Forward Leeds Director, Lee Wilson said: “This is fantastic news for our service and the city. If the report highlights one thing above anything else, it’s that we are a caring service whose staff always do the best for the people they support. The report shows the level of commitment our teams have to deliver the best possible service and outcomes for people using our service as well as their families and loved ones.”

The full report is available to read online from the CQC website www.cqc.org.uk

For more information see here.

Celebrating the Platinum Jubilee

Across the summer our services and clients have been celebrating the Queens Platinum Jubilee. It has been lovely see so many celebrations, here is a montage of our many events and parties:

Congratulations to our Rockhaven team from Horsforth, Leeds, who received a superb Care Quality Commission (CQC) report in August.

The CQC detailed the quality of care delivered at the service as well as a fantastic working culture which the staff were very proud of.

Providing 24 hour nursing and personal care, the service was praised for its high staff motivation and attention to supporting residents and their interests. including one who has an interest in planes being taken to watch them take off and land at the airport.

The report said Rockhaven was a safe environment which met peoples needs, adding that the staff team were highly trained and knowledgeable about people’s preferences and how to support them.

Congratulations to the whole team for their superb work.

(Pictured l to r –   Satou Magiraga, Marylyn Bruce, Fiona Holmes Manager, Julie Parsons, Larren Loran Sandiforth, Waida Rashid)

On Friday 10th June we were very proud to launch our new Westgarth service in partnership with Calderdale Council, with a special guest the Lord Mayor of Calderdale, Cllr Angie Gallagher

Westgarth has undergone major refurbishment works providing much-improved accommodation for people accessing the service and for staff providing support.

Westgarth provides a respite service enabling safe and comfortable accommodation for adults with learning disabilities, giving them and their carers a welcome break.

The new Westgarth facility has been planned with its users’ needs fully in mind with fully accessible accommodation and bathroom facilities, finished to a high standard. The entire building has been refurbished and remodelled and provides a kitchen, laundry, lounge and dining area, plus office space for staff.

The building also includes a number of self-contained living units to support people to maintain their independence and further develop the skills they need to lead full and active lives.

We are sure all clients who stay at the Westgarth Service will flourish and enjoy many of the great local community facilities, which will further support people staying at the service.

Pictured The Lord Mayor of Calderdale,  Service Manager Nigel Brown, and CEO of St Anne’s Azra Kirkby.

Alcohol Services and International Nurses’ Day.

At St Anne’s Alcohol Services we are celebrating International Nurses’ Day by thanking our Nurses for their work. Nurses play an integral role in the success of our residential alcohol treatment services.

In 2021-2022, our Nurses admitted nearly 200 clients for an alcohol detoxification programme, and despite all the challenges that managing Covid-19 has meant, 93% of the clients went on to complete their programmes.

As well being responsible for the safe admission of clients to the programme, Nurses monitor and manage the withdrawal symptoms of clients, administer a range of medications, provide emotional support, complete support plans and risk assessments, facilitate group sessions…

Covid-19 has meant additional responsibilities, with testing to be done and supporting new clients during periods of self-isolation.

Being a Nurse at Alcohol Services means being able to respond to quickly changing circumstances, with the challenge of being able to identify and deal with the rapidly deteriorating client, being balanced with the pleasure in observing clients make great progress in the days and weeks that they are with us. Nurses lead our shifts, and our ably helped by our team of Alcohol Support Workers.

So, this International Nurses’ Day, we thank Juliet, Laura, Helen, Maria, Farah, Mary & Christina for your hard work, your dedication, your willingness to rise to the challenges that you are faced with, and the positive outcomes that you enable clients to reach.

People-focused, passionate, and committed are just some of the words we would use to describe St Anne’s Community Services, as they encompass many of the aspects which make us so special. We are an organisation that is for people, by people.

We are proud to support people experiencing learning disabilities, mental health, substance misuse, and homelessness and deliver a high quality of care which is reflected in 95% of our services being rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our 1,350 staff are committed to supporting over 1,600 clients and their families across Yorkshire and the North-East, making a huge difference to their lives and supporting their aspirations and individual outcomes.

As we look to deliver our exciting 5 year plan “Life Without Limits”, we are recruiting new Board members, to help us make sure our voice is heard, and that we continue to inspire our communities.

We are looking to extend our board-level experience with a focus on social care, quality, health and safety, people, and housing. We are seeking candidates who will be able to add their experiences to the Quality & Safeguarding, Health & Safety, and Audit & Risk committees in addition to being a Board member.

As we seek to increase the diversity of our Board, we particularly welcome applications from people seeking their first Board opportunity, women, and from the BAME/LBGT+
community. We actively encourage people with disabilities or lived experiences to apply.

If you are looking for a rewarding role that will also stretch you, and you have the skills, experience, and motivation to help us deliver our business strategy, we would like to hear from you.

If you are interested please see the pack attached.

Trustee Recruitment Pack

Celebrating and commemorating our 50^th Anniversary in 2021-22, our teams from Gateshead and Dewsbury have planted 30 fruit trees as a lasting legacy of our golden anniversary during spring 2022.

In Gateshead our team planted 25 fruit trees in Dunston Park, undertaken in partnership with Gateshead Council. Whilst in Dewsbury (West Yokshire), a grove of five fruit trees was planted in Crowsnest Park, in conjunction with The Friends of Crowsnest Park Community Group .

Azra Kirkby, Chief Executive of St Anne’s, who unveiled the orchard in Dunston Park, Gateshead said;

“We wanted to create a living legacy for our 50^th Anniversary which our clients can come and enjoy. The planting is a great opportunity for our clients, staff, commissioners, and the community to come together to support one another in planting these trees.

“These past two years have taught us all how much we need one another, and we are so delighted to be celebrating our 50 years with a lasting reminder of that.”

Dot Burnett, Lord Mayor of Gateshead, who attended the event with local ward councillors said: 

“I am very happy to help plant the orchard. I’d like to thank you St Anne’s very much for the contribution that you are making to the Dunston Teams Ward, it’s absolutely fabulous”.

Attending the planting and unveiling of the grove in Dewbury, Shona Beaton, Deputy Chief Executive of St Anne’s said: 

“Outdoor spaces have proven so important to all of use in the last two years and we are so pleased to be adding to this beautiful park and to be giving back to the community”

To see more about both events,  please see the videos below:

Dunston Park – Gatehead

Crowsnest Park – Dewsbury

Without Limits

Welcome to the twice yearly St Anne’s client update, ‘Without Limits’.

2021 has been a difficult year with Covid, but our clients have enjoyed many experiences, events, day’s out and celebrations.

We are dedicated and proud to supporting all our clients to live life without limits. Click the image to discover more.

Welcoming our new Chair and Vice-Chair

One of the north’s leading charities, St. Anne’s Community Services (St. Anne’s), has appointed a new Chair and Vice Chair.

The new Chair is Anthea Sully, who is Chief Executive of White Ribbon UK, a charity that works to end domestic violence toward women. Anthea first joined the board of St Anne’s in early 2021 as Vice-Chair, will replace Ian McIntosh who has represented St Anne’s since 2019.

Anthea Sully said:

“I am delighted to become the new chair of St Anne’s. I’m really looking forward to working alongside everyone. I joined the Trustees in March this year and have been getting to know St Anne’s, but I am really hoping that I will be able to start meeting clients and staff in person soon which will help me learn more. There is a little more about me on the St Anne’s website.  Thank you to everyone who has already welcomed me.  I also need to thank Ian McIntosh, our outgoing Chair, for everything that he has done for St Anne’s for the last few years.”

Joining Anthea as Vice Chair is Bryan Machin, who is the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Finance at Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust and has over 15 years’ experience as an NHS Finance Director. Bryan was elected to the St Anne’s board in 2020.

Bryan Machin said;

“I am delighted to have been asked to support Anthea as Vice-Chair.  I hope to be able to start visiting some of St Anne’s services as soon as circumstances allow.”

Azra Kirkby, Chief Executive Officer for St Anne’s said;

“I would like to extend my warmest thanks to Ian McIntosh, who has over seen many developments within St Anne’s and has provided a wealth of experience and insight. We wish him well for the future.

“I welcome our new Chair and Vice-Chair to their roles, who I am sure will bring their expertise and knowledge in abundance as we continue to lead the way in person-centred care.

“It is important for charity organisations to continually refresh as society and care needs change, and I look forward to working with both Anthea and Bryan as St Anne’s continues to grow and progress in the years to come”.

To celebrate and commemorate St Anne’s Community Services, 50^th Anniversary on Wednesday 15^th September, a special time capsule was buried in Temple Newsam Park, Leeds.

Organised by the St Anne’s Shared Lives Team, who support adult support placements with families, the time capsule captures life in 2021 and includes; letters from the Lord Mayor of Leeds Councillor Ashghar Khan and St Anne’s Chief Executive Officer Azra Kirkby and mementos from daily life, including photos and artwork from Shared Lives clients, coins, recordings from Shared Lives carers and a current newspaper.

Debbie Lewis, Shared Lives Lead said.

“We wanted to create a legacy from our 50^th Anniversary, something which captured the essence of St Anne’s and the Shared Lives carers and the amazing work they do. Our time capsule is a moment in time, highlighting the amazing work our carers undertake, which we hope in 2071 will be a little part of our 100^th Anniversary. We will be registering the capsule on a special website which keeps a record of all time capsules.”

Azra Kirkby, Chief Executive Officer for St Anne’s said,

“It was wonderful to meet so many of our carers, and the people we support at the time capsule burial. It is very humbling to be sending a message into the future, people I will most likely never meet, but I hope the contents of the capsule are inspiring and showcase the legacy we leave for future generations.”

Pictured above Barbara (carer), Alan Murphy (client) and Sheridan (support carer), Councilor Mohammed Rafique, Azra Kirkby (Chief Executive Officer St Anne’s)

A charity, dedicated to supporting the most vulnerable in society, has planted a new sensory garden in the heart of Leeds, close to where it was founded in 1971.

St Anne’s Community Services (St Anne’s) which this year is celebrating its golden anniversary, has a proud heritage of supporting homeless people, those with learning disabilities, people requiring substance rehabilitation and aiding people with mental health needs.

Working with Leeds City Council’s Parks Team, staff and clients at St Anne’s planted the unique sensory garden with plants which support; taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound, in Queen’s Square, Leeds (by the Merrion Centre).

Clients from some of St Anne’s Leeds services, planted the garden last week, whilst a commemorative plaque and bench were installed. The garden was formally unveiled on Friday the 13^th August by St Anne’s Deputy CEO and Director of Operations, Shona Beaton.

Jacqueline Carver, Learning and Development Co-ordinator from St Anne’s, who has led on the project, said:

“St Anne’s is dedicated to inclusion, we wanted to create an accessible space everyone can enjoy. It was wonderful to see some of the people we support enjoy planting and taking part in the unveiling”.

Azra Kirkby, Chief Executive Officer for St Anne’s said:

“Queens Square is a stone throw from where the St Anne’s journey began back in 1971, where we were set up to support homeless people. The last 50 years has been a journey of developing new services to enable people to have better life outcomes.

“We hope the garden will be enjoyed by everyone, and we are committed to keeping accessible and colourful for the local community to enjoy.”

Pictured; Paul and Melanie (L to R), two of the people St Anne’s supports.

A life without limits.

We have great pride in sharing with you our new five-year strategic plan, “A life without limits”.

“A life without limits”, showcases our future direction which puts the people we support and our staff at the heart of everything we do. Our strategy is a roadmap as to how we will make our new vision, real.

As we celebrate our 50th year in 2021, we reassert our commitment to ‘making a difference’ by empowering our staff to work creatively and collaboratively, developing new partnerships and ways of working that will enable the people we support to lead fulfilled lives.

Our new strategy, developed with our greatest asset – our staff, will ensure St Anne’s is a great place to work. It details how all our staff will be supported and nurtured through our values framework, it showcases our commitment to digital transformation, housing and delivering homes to be proud of, and how we will become more sustainable and grow through investment and the development of
new and existing partnerships.

Our message is simple, we want everyone St Anne’s supports now and in the future to have the opportunity to live their best life, and we invite you to join us on this journey.

Strategic Plan 2021_26 A life without limits

Our Durham supported living services have received a “Good” rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in a recent assessment (February 2023)

The service that offers support to adults with learning disabilities and autistism, was praised for the care, respect, equality, dignity, choices and independence, and good access to local communities that most people take for granted.

In the assessment, the CQC was told by the people the team support, how staff supported them to do the things important to them, such as going on holiday, cooking, and attending football matches. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.

The services care was also praised, stating “People received kind and compassionate care. Staff protected and respected people’s privacy and dignity. Staff promoted equality and diversity in their support for people. Staff understood and respected people’s religious and cultural needs and supported them accordingly”.

The report concluded “Staff placed people’s wishes, needs, and rights at the heart of everything they did. Staff valued and acted upon people’s views. People’s quality of life was enhanced by the service’s culture of improvement and inclusivity”.

Shona Beaton Director of Operations at St Anne’s said:

“We are incredibly proud of our team in Durham who have achieved this fabulous CQC report and rating under testing circumstances.  It is yet further evidence of the dedication and commitment our staff teams have to ensuring our clients get to live their best lives.  Congratulations to the Durham team.”

Our Durham managers are pictured

St Anne’s were incredibly excited to be part of Leeds Pride (August 7), and Calderdale Pride (19 August). Our clients, staff, family, and friends came together to walk through Leeds City centre and showcase St Anne’s at our stall.

Calderdale Pride was held at the wonderful Piece Hall, in Halifax, where we were joined at the event by Lewis from Kingsmill Court, friends from Wheatley Road, and Luv 2 Meet U. It was an incredible atmosphere at a fabulous venue.

We will continue to celebrate and practice equality, diversity, and inclusion in our organisation, empowering individuals to be their best selves. We’re proud to be St Anne’s and we can’t wait to celebrate again at next year’s events

On 18th May we celebrated the launch of our new supported living service, Boulevard, in Hull.

To mark the occasion, in the middle of Mental Health Awareness Week, we planted the new garden with colleagues, partners and clients, whilst welcoming our new tenants to their apartments.

The service offers fantastic homes for our clients in their local community, our Director of Business Development, Mario Caswell said,

“We are pleased to be celebrating the launch of our new Supported Living Service in Hull.  These are ordinary houses, on ordinary streets, supporting remarkable people.  But it’s also about local regeneration, giving existing housing stock a new lease of life, in real communities, enabling some of society’s most vulnerable people to live an everyday life that we often take for granted”.

We would like to say a huge thank you to our colleagues, friends, and partners for supporting the launch and helping us make a difference in Hull.

Below are some of the images from the day

We are proud to announce Nicky Lyall, has won Social Care Nurse of the Year at the Leeds Quality Care Awards 2023

The Leeds Quality Care Awards recognise the fantastic services which are being delivered across Leeds. These awards have been put in place to celebrate excellence throughout the Leeds adult social care sector. They are part of Leeds city Council’s vision for an Age friendly Leeds and to be the best city to grow old in.

When highlighting the Award,  Trevor Hewitt from Leeds City Council’s Organisational & Workforce Development Team said

“The Social Care Nurse of the Year is an individual award which recognises a registered nurse who has made an outstanding contribution to the care and support of people who use their services. They must have contributed positively to nursing in their workplace and/or across the care sector. They must have made a positive difference to the lives of those they care for, and constantly implement a person-centred approach in the work that they do. They must also be committed to their own personal and professional development and constantly seek new and innovative ways to improve”.

The nomination about Nicky stated.

“We recognise 30 years of outstanding service as, firstly a disability nurse, who then became a registered manager for St Anne’s. Her clinical expertise has continued into her role as our workforce development trainer who was one of the leads on “Doing it My Way, End of Life Care”, with her invaluable input to this process, and her creation of the training presentation which still continues to be delivered. For any clinical advice, training or support, Nicky is the first-person staff reach out to. She continues to keep herself up to date with her own professional knowledge and learning to offer the best service to all her St Anne’s colleagues”.

Judging Panel chair – Jo Harding, Director of Nursing & Quality, Leeds Health & Care Partnership, said

 “It was a pleasure for the panel to consider Nicky’s application. She is clearly champion for people with learning disabilities and advocates for families and carers in what is a very person-centred approach to her work.

“Her passion for her work shines through, demonstrated by a strong work ethic, with a real commitment to supporting others as a leader, mentor and supervisor.

“Nicky is not only committed to St. Anne’s, but has sought out opportunities to share her skills wider to work on research with academics and designing training materials to assist others working in the learning disabilities sector.

“Nicky is a credit to her organisation and nursing as a profession”.

Well done to Nicky we are so proud of you!!

Pictured is Nicky receiving the award

For more on the awards please see here

Our Alcohol Services received a wonderful donation of a new television from John Lewis on Friday 28th April.

The service has a proud record of supporting people to make significant changes in their life. Most of the clients who go to our Alcohol Services are with us for three months, during which time the service gets to see changes in physical and mental well-being, with confidence and self-esteem growing. What the service does not always get to see is how the changes they support make a difference over a longer period of time.

Eddie came to our Alcohol Services in 2019, and completed the residential rehab programme. Shortly after completing the rehab programme, motivated by all that he had learnt at St Anne’s, he had the confidence to get an agency job with the John Lewis Partnership. After a year of agency work, Eddie was invited to become a full-time partner with John Lewis, a role he has enjoyed for the past two years.

Eddie has remained in contact with our Alcohol Services, being thankful for the support he received. Eddie wanted to express his gratitude, and after talking to his manager at John Lewis and the manager at Alcohol Services, he organised the wonderful donation of a new television.

On the day of the delivery of the television, Eddie was able to attend and meet some of the current clients and receive their thanks.

The staff and clients of our Alcohol Services and St Anne’s as a whole are hugely appreciative to Eddie for putting the service forward for this gift. We are so pleased for the continued progress that Eddie has made with his recovery, and we all wish him ongoing success with his job.

Thank you to John Lewis and to Lindsay Tulip, Site Manager for John Lewis Partnership, for organising the donation, and to her team for delivering and fitting the television.

Picture 1 – John Lewis delivery van at Alcohol Services

Picture 2 – left to right – Amanda Wignall (Alcohol Support Worker), Jonathan Philpott (Manager), Roseleen Stewart (Deputy Manager) Eddie McNally (John Lewis), Tony Sunderland (Alcohol Support Worker) with the new television

Picture 3 – left to right – Jonathan Philpott (Manager) and Eddie McNally (John Lewis), with the ceremonial handover of the remote control

We are pleased to announce we recently gained our Investors In People Accreditation. Many people and teams across the organisation were interviewed as part of the process. There were many positives from the assessment including:

• People are proud of the work St Anne’s does, making a difference to so many people.
• People feel the strategy is much clearer and has a focus on the future.
• People feel the SMT are more visible around services, and top-level communication has improved through regular updates and blogs.
• People said the values are truly embedded throughout the organisation.
• People feel the new structures in place are working much better, e.g. having a named quality and continuous improvement lead and HR business partner.
• People said communication was improving through the marketing & communication team.
• People said the introduction of Teams is working well.

The report concluded:

“Without doubt, there is commitment to continuous improvement, and within services, managers spoke highly of the approach to quality. As an organisation, you have a focus on the future and have demonstrated that you are responsive to change. The new leadership team has a clear understanding of the external environment and the impact this has on the organisation. The business development team work hard horizon scanning for new opportunities for St Anne’s. There does appear to be genuine commitment from the senior team to making St Anne’s a great place to work and engaging as many as possible in its future success”.

Sensory engagement promotes cognition and memory, it supports communication and people’s ability and readiness to learn, and it is also good for mental health

Sensory engagement is an important part of the support we provide, facilitating this our Hartwell Road Service celebrated National Ferret Day on 2 April and had special guests Thor, Casper, and Cookie come to visit.

The group learnt about ferrets, what they eat, how long they live, and much more. Holding and stroking the ferrets was a special moment for the clients who loved feeding them a little salmon oil.

Well done to the team for creating this special event.

Throughout spring we have been nominating our colleagues in our PROUD Awards, recognising the care, devotion, and outstanding work our colleagues and teams undertake in making our vision “of a life without limits for the people we support” a reality.

We had over 400 nominations for our categories:

• Volunteer of the Year
• Newcomer of the Year
• Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Champion of the Year
• Employee of the Year
• Nurse of the Year
• Manager of the Year
• Leader of the Year
• Team of the Year

Our winners will be announced at a special event on the 21^st June, during Learning Disabilities Week, which will also feature a showcase of the many talents and skills of the people we support.

On Tuesday 29th November we had a very special birthday celebration for our Somewhere Safe To Stay Hub, at the Civic Hall, Leeds.

Gathering together friends of St Anne’s, Trustees, supporters, team members and clients, with our special guest the Lord Mayor of Leeds Cllr Bob Gettings, the event celebrated the achievements of the Hub, which is a dedicated service to support women with complex needs who are street homeless or vulnerably housed, during it’s first year.

Coinciding with the White Ribbon Campaign – 16 days of action, the birthday was a chance to celebrate the transformative work of the support team and all partners, who over the last year alone have helped over 300 women to start to look forward to the future with hope and pride.

Happy Birthday Hub!

We are proud to have over 30 years of expertise in delivering community-based Outreach services, and the work our teams undertake in local communities is truly life-changing.

Our professional, experienced, and caring staff work collaboratively with the people they support to enable those with severe and complex health needs to define, build and live a meaningful, independent, and satisfying life… it really is individualised wrap-around care.

Our Floating Outreach South shared the story of DC.

DC shared with the manager of the service how the support that her and her husband SC receive from the Outreach service is very important to them and they would not be where they are today without them.

DC said their support from St Anne’s over the years has helped them with their confidence and to learn new skills. DC shared how they recently went on holiday abroad as a couple for the first time without support and this was an incredible achievement for them. Support workers Karen Lancaster and Sean Riley helped them to plan and prepare every detail so that they would be safe and enjoy their holiday.

DC shared that without the support they received they would never have gone on abroad independently and that they had the most perfect time away from start to finish.

DC and SC are very proud of this achievement and are grateful that their support workers encouraged them and supported them to do it independently.

Enabling people to live their best life is exactly what St Anne’s is about.

Our Belle Vue Road Service, Leeds, loves to engage the people they support in activities which support learning and development. During early March they decided to run a cake baking master class, to create a delicious chocolate cake. The class was not only great fun for the clients who followed the recipe brilliantly, but also supported the development of cooking/ baking and hygiene skills. Everyone enjoyed the process of baking and enjoyed the final results at the end even more.

All the clients were so proud of what they achieved, with lots of comments about how “yummy” the cake was.

Well done to Rhonda, James and the clients for arranging and taking part.

It was National Science Day on 28th February, and our team at Hartwell Road wanted to make the day exciting for their clients.

After careful research and planning the team came up with some really creative experiments that the clients could get involved in. During the day they created “Skittle Art” with a colour displacement experiment; learnt about density – with a homemade density column; tested the viscosity of liquids with a race, and watched a chemical reaction between an alkali and acid by making fizzy potions (using simple and safe materials – water, vinegar and baking soda).

All the clients were fascinated and enjoyed getting involved in the experiments. But after their scientific success the clients now want to try even more experiments, so there is more planning in progress and may be a raft making experiment in development! We will keep you posted.

Across our services on Pancake Day (21 Feb) the people we support had a great time cooking, creating and designing and of course eating some wonderful pancakes.

Fr0m Portland Avenue in Seaham to Creykes Lodge in Goole the perfect pancakes were amazing, here are just a few:

Portland Avenue- Seaham:

Creykes Lodge – Goole

Hartwell Road – Leeds

National Storytelling Week takes place every year and is a celebration of the power of sharing stories. Stories teach us about the world, they allow us to step into someone else’s shoes and feel empathy, they let us escape the every day, and they can help develop essential literacy skills.

Stories are an integral part of our lives. We use storytelling to communicate with others and make sense of the world around us. They can take many forms and can be expressed in ways that allow information to be made accessible to a diverse range of people of different ages and abilities. Individuals with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) are one group of people who can experience the joy of storytelling through sensory stories.

Joanna Grace, founder of The Sensory Story Project, explains that “a sensory story partners concise text with strong sensory stimuli to convey a narrative.” Each section of the story is accompanied by a sensory experience to help bring the story to life. Sensory stories enable an individual to engage in new activities and sensory experiences in a safe environment. With the stories being differentiated to suit their needs, people with PMLD can listen and respond to narratives that are familiar to them and develop communication and anticipation skills.

Sensory stories can be used as tools for creating access to experiences. “Kayaking” is a sensory story developed by Joanna, designed to be experienced at home with the aim to help an individual gain a sense of what it feels like to kayak. The narrative guides the participant through feeling and smelling a neoprene wetsuit, hearing the sound of the waves, and feeling the splash of water on their face. This gives the individual the opportunity to rehearse an experience in advance, enabling them to tune in their sensory systems. Encountering experiences ahead of time can help someone to mentally map out what will happen when they go kayaking, taking some of the anxiety out of it and helping to support their understanding. You can access this amazing free resource here.

Practising a brand new experience whilst in a comfortable environment can allow people to explore things they may find challenging without being afraid, and this may help them to have more confidence when encountering other unexpected experiences.

To find out more about Joanna Grace and sensory stories, visit The Sensory Projects’ website here.

On the 13^th January 2023 our Creykes Lodge Service celebrated a client’s ‘Present Day” in style.

Present Day is celebrated instead of birthdays in accordance with the clients Jehovah’s Witness faith. During the day the clients’ parents came to visit and were overwhelmed with how staff had gone above and beyond to make it such a special day, with all the decorations – which were personalised and decorated by staff, food and drinks, presents and a wonderful atmosphere.

All the food and drink had a high tea theme, with a pot of tea and a variety of teas from the local tearoom – The Green Room in Rawcliffe – scones with cream, jam and strawberries, and a platter of fruit – peaches, plums, strawberries, grapes, raspberries, blueberries, and melon. There was also a chocolate cake with the singer Adele on the top – this is one of the client’s absolute favourite singers and loves to play her music.

For Present Day, the client got a new tablet for activities, games, to take pictures of outings and pictures of their family. They also got an Alexa as they love to play music when doing activities in the home, so a staff member developed some “flashcards” of what to say and what it should play, for example, “Alexa play Adele” and it will play Adele songs.

In the evening, all clients at Creykes Lodge and staff, some of whom came to support in their own time went out for an evening meal at Hungry Horse in Goole. Due to the complexity of our clients and their needs, Hungry Horse made the functional room available to use for the meal, staff went early and decorated the room with balloons and banners, meals, including a Tikka Stack, Quadzilla burger, curry and lasagne.

The evening was enjoyed by all client’s and staff and rounded off a perfect day.

In December, we joined our lovely friends from St Anne’s Shared Lives for a beautiful walk in the winter sunshine at Golden Acre Park.

Our Shared Lives scheme recruits and supports carers that can offer a home to adults with learning disabilities. This gives the client the chance to live in an ordinary household and enjoy life within their community. In some cases, this can be the first time that the clients are able to experience this.

We enjoyed coffee and cuddles with the dogs, and chatted about our highlights of 2022. We can’t wait to see what 2023 will bring!

Our Resource Centre, with great support from DAC Beachcroft, held their Christmas Party on Friday 9th December.  

The food area was packed, and everyone had a wonderful time, with amazing food, singing from “Music Box Inspiring Voices Choir” and party games.

Local MP Hilary Benn also popped in to thank the team for their amazing work and to hand out presents.

On Thursday 8th December, our Heatherstones service had their fantastic Christmas Party. The evening was a perfect winter evening with live music from local musician Dean, a special visit from Santa and his Reindeer and even SNOW!   

Fantastic work by Gerard and all the team at Heatherstones for putting on such a wonderful sensory event for all our clients, and clients from other services, who loved to see Santa and touch and feed the reindeer. True team work, putting our clients first – at its best!

Leading Charity Appoints New Vice-Chair and Trustees

One of the north’s leading charities, St. Anne’s Community Services (St. Anne’s), has appointed fours new Trustees including one to the position of Vice-Chair.

A not-for-profit organisation supporting over 1600 people across the north of England, St Anne’s has a leading reputation for developing and providing services for people with: complex care, learning disabilities, mental health problems, homelessness, and drug or alcohol misuse. St Anne’s also supports over 550 people in supported living and housing tenancies.

Wishing to expand its services and draw on the depth and wealth of knowledge and skills that Trustees bring from their careers, St Anne’s is very pleased to welcome; Oliver Laird, Alison Leech, Ian Currell and Anthea Sully.

Oliver Laird joins St Anne’s as a Trustee and Chair of the Audit and Risk Sub-Committee. Oliver has held variety of senior finance director roles in regulated financial services businesses. He is also an experienced Trustee having held roles within the British Council and Leeds Student Union. Oliver is eager to support the on-going development of St Anne’s.

Alison Leech is a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing and has been in the profession for over 25 years, working for Housing Associations and Local Authorities across Yorkshire in both front-line and strategic roles. With a strong belief in the importance of affordable, quality social housing and housing education, Alison joins St Anne’s as a Trustee and member of the Finance & Performance Sub-Committee.

Ian Currell has over 30-years NHS experience and has been a Director of Finance for 13 years, he has stated he is keen to support the charity sector and apply the skills and experience he has built up. Ian is to be a Trustee and member of the Audit & Risk Sub-Committee.

Joining St Anne’s as a Trustee and Vice-Chair, Anthea Sully is Chief Executive of White Ribbon UK, a charity that works to end male violence against women. In 1994 Anthea founded the ground-breaking Goldhay Arts, for artists and performers with learning disabilities. Anthea is an experienced Trustee and Chair and has worked for several charities and voluntary organisations. Anthea will also be a member of the Remuneration, Nominations & Governance Sub-Committee.

Anthea Sully said:

“I am tremendously excited to be joining St Anne’s at this time. I am committed to ensuring people have the support and housing they need to live their best life, and as Vice Chair I want to ensure that I play my part in enabling St Anne’s to do just that. As we emerge from the pandemic, and the challenges that everyone has faced, I am looking forward to meeting the people we support and our staff to find out their aspirations for the future.”

Chief Officer of St Anne’s Azra Kirkby said:

“I wholeheartedly welcome our new Trustees to St Anne’s, who I am sure will bring their expertise and knowledge in abundance as we continue to lead the way in person-centred care.

“It is important for charity organisations to continually refresh as society and care needs change. Reaching out for new Trustees ensures St Anne’s continues to evolve and build on the collective wealth of experience our new Trustees bring.”

Notes to Editors:

St. Anne’s Community Services (St. Anne’s) is a not-for-profit organisation which has been developing and providing services for people with learning disabilities, people with mental health problems, homeless people, and people with drug or alcohol misuse since 1971.

St. Anne’s believes in making a difference, to provided quality care and support to enable people to lead fulfilled lives.

Ends

For further information please email:

Antony.Rider@st-annes.org.uk

St. Anne’s Community Services (St Anne’s), one of the North’s leading person-centred charities is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary with a fund-raising, online cycle ride in support of homeless people.

Set up in 1971 to support homeless people in Leeds, St Anne’s has grown to provide multiple services supporting over 1600 people with learning disabilities, mental health needs, substance abuse support and homelessness.

The online cycle ride, which will involve interactive meetings with St Anne’s specialist services, is being undertaken by St Anne’s Service Manager Nicky Lyall. Nicky will be covering an amazing 50 services and over 500 miles on her exercise bike at home, which will be virtually tracked on a map covering geographically the services she visits.

A dedicated cyclist, Nicky has suffered from recent health issues, including most recently arthritis in her knees. Despite this she remains keen and dedicated to completing her ride and helping raise funds for and spread awareness of homelessness in Leeds.

Nicky said:

“I feel passion toward towards supporting the homeless and ensuring they have opportunities to have great life opportunities. I am doing this fund raising as a way of joining this passion with my other passion of cycling.

“Although my arthritis stops me from doing things like running, cycling is non weight bearing, so it is great for fitness and I hope will inspire the people we support in our services to take part too.”

As part of the ride, Nicky will undertake blogs, videos and have online calls to some of the people St Anne’s supports, encouraging them to undertake activities to promote health, fitness, and wellbeing

Nicky continued:

“Sometimes it doesn’t matter what fitness you do as long as you do something”.

Azra Kirkby, Chief Executive of St Anne’s said:

“We are so proud of Nicky, to undertake this with her arthritis really shows her amazing commitment to the people we support and to St Anne’s.

“We would love to encourage people to see our social media over the coming months, message Nicky and of course donate to supporting the homeless in Leeds.

“The pandemic has made celebrating our 50^th year in a more distanced way, but we are still determined to make a difference to the lives of the people we support to ensure they have a life without limits. Nicky is a credit to us”.

To donate to support the homeless in Leeds and Nicky, please visit:

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/StAnnesResourceCentre