Cygnet service users joint winners of the Service User Choice Award

We are delighted to announce that the joint winners of the Service User Choice Award at the National Service User Awards 2015 were a service user from Cygnet Hospital Bierley, with ‘Taking Back My Life’ and service users from Cygnet Hospital Derby with their entry ‘Wyvern Ward Social Enterprise Group’.
The awards waiting to be collected
The awards waiting to be collected

The National Service User Awards ceremony, sponsored by Cygnet Health Care, took place on Wednesday 11th March 2015 at the Silverstone race course. Nicky McLeod, Chief Operating Officer of Cygnet Health Care, gave the opening address to the event which was attended by over 175 service users and staff from NHS and independent sector services. The awards are all about recognising and celebrating the achievements of service users in mental health services and this year incorporated a Service User Choice Award, which was voted for live on the day.

Cygnet Chief Operating Office Nicky Mcleod delivering the opening address
Cygnet Chief Operating Office Nicky Mcleod delivering the opening address

The ‘Taking Back My Life’ nomination was for a service user on Cygnet Hospital Bierley’s Bowling Ward, who has been involved with a large number of projects including delivering presentations about mental health to university students around the country and writing her own blog. Of being a joint winner of the Service User Choice Award she said; “I think being awarded the Service User Choice Award means more to me than the other awards would have done – the service users in the room had heard my story and decided they liked mine, which makes it so meaningful to me.

Silverstone Race Course the spectacular venue of the 2015 National Service User Awards
Silverstone Race Course the spectacular venue of the 2015 National Service User Awards

The ‘Wyvern Ward Social Enterprise Group’ is an initiative whereby service users raised money through various activities to buy Christmas gifts and Easter eggs for the children on the Oncology ward at Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham. The services users on Wyvern Ward said they are “So happy and so proud that they have not only helped the children on the cancer ward but have been recognised for doing so.” Their trophy is already proudly on display on the ward for all the service users involved in the project to share and enjoy.

We would like to say a huge congratulations from Cygnet Health Care to both winners on a fantastic achievement and well done to all the other winners and finalists across the day. For details of the winners in the other five categories please visit the National Service User Awards website.

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