CPSL Mind named winner at National Mind Excellence Awards

At CPSL Mind we have been named as overall winners of national Mind’s ‘Influence and Engagement Award’ in recognition of the contribution that individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges have made to developing our local services.

This national prize recognises our journey to involve individuals with lived experience of mental health issues in everything we do and follows our success in the ‘Service User Influence and Participation’ category of these awards, announced earlier in the year. We were also Highly Commended in the ‘Service Design and Innovation’ category.

Aly Anderson, our CEO, says, “We’re so very proud of the fact that the voices of individuals with lived experience of mental health issues profoundly influence everything we do – so we’re particularly thrilled to have received this award.

These accolades combined really demonstrate our determination to work both creatively and collaboratively across our diverse communities to constantly develop and improve the services we offer.”

Our Co-Production Team was formed three years ago to embed lived experience across the charity and Rhi, a member of the team, says, “It is so much fun, buzzing with so many ideas and thinking about how we can make it happen. Then when you see things happen like our Good Life leaflets, the Wellbeing Wheel and our Good Mood Cafes, you think ‘that was us!’.”

David, also a member, says “Co-Production is not only wonderful for an organisation but also inspiring for the individuals taking part. For me personally I regained my confidence and, at the time, I never thought it was going to come back – but it did.”

Experiences like Rhi’s and David’s have touched every area of the charity from service design to strategic planning and are evident in the success of our initiatives such as the Good Life Service, which has directly supported in excess of 2,000 local people across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough since its launch just over a year ago.

Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of national Mind, said “The Mind Excellence Awards celebrate the best work that we do across over 100 local Minds in England & Wales, and are based on our national Mind Quality Mark which sets the standards for all local Minds to operate so that the public can be confident in the quality of our work locally and nationally.

Huge congratulations to CPSL Mind for winning the hotly contested Influence & Engagement Award. Working alongside people with lived experience of mental health problems is at the heart of what we do, so to achieve this award is a huge accolade to all the team at CPSL Mind and reflects the terrific work they do every day.”