Bruce and Restore win awards!

Bruce Gorrie, Restore’s mental health first aid coordinator, has received due recognition for his hard work and commitment to mental health first aid, and excellence as a trainer.

Today at a ceremony at the House of Lords, he was presented with not one but two awards from Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England, one of which was for individual excellence.

It was also announced at the ceremony that Restore was overall winner in the organisational category and chief executive Benedict Leigh collected this award.

Mental health first aid (MHFA) is the help given to someone experiencing a mental health problem before professional help is obtained. Bruce, who formerly used Restore’s employment service, draws on his own experiences in delivering the training. To date he has trained over 60 diverse groups across Oxfordshire.

Bruce said, “We are delighted to be given three awards by MHFA England. MHFA is an innovative and much-needed programme which challenges the stigma around mental health issues by providing background information and practical skills.

“It is particularly gratifying that we are being recognised for our work with hard-to-reach migrant communities, as these have been the most challenging and rewarding courses I have delivered. The response to this initiative illustrates the necessity of MHFA among such communities and the direct and profound impact the course has on the ground.”

Congratulations to Bruce and to Restore!