Healthwatch Rochdale celebrates its invaluable volunteers at thank you event

Healthwatch Rochdale hosted a thank you event in celebration of its hardworking staff and volunteers on 29 September.

From 1pm until 3.30pm, attendees enjoyed an afternoon tea style lunch at Packer Street’s Flying Horse Hotel with games including bingo, a quiz, fun, laughter, and much needed chatter throughout the day.

The Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Aasim Rashid, was a special guest at the event which offered the first face-to-face meeting for many following Covid-19 restrictions over the past 18 months.

 

 

Residents were asked to share their views on adult mental health services and on children’s and young people’s mental health services earlier this year via two surveys. The surveys were developed by Healthwatch Rochdale to understand the experience of using local mental health services for all ages.

Those who completed a survey were placed into a prize draw with the chance of winning a £50 voucher of their choice. Mayor Rashid drew the lucky winner of the mental health surveys at the celebration event.

With a total of 130 entrants altogether, a report is due out at the end of October 2021 and will reflect on gaps in mental health services across the borough from the survey findings.

 

Read more: Survey on local mental health services launchedPublished: 01 July 2021

 

Ben Greenwood, interim chair of the Healthwatch Rochdale board, spoke at the event: “After a long 18 months, it is good to be back together with no social distancing.

“To our volunteers, Healthwatch Rochdale could not do what it does without you. Thank you to you all for everything that you do in your roles.

“I hope we can now look forward to better days ahead, turning a corner on Covid, and look forward to the next couple of years to build on Healthwatch Rochdale’s success.”

Naomi Kenyon, volunteer and involvement officer at Healthwatch Rochdale who organised the event, said: “The past year has been like no other and we at Healthwatch Rochdale have been extremely proud of all our volunteers throughout this time. They have continued to support us throughout.

“We were unable to celebrate our wonderful volunteers back in June for Volunteers Week, so we decided now is as good a time as any to celebrate.

“Thank you to all who attended and to Action Together who made this event possible with a generous grant.”

 

 

Healthwatch Rochdale is part of the Healthwatch national network which helps ensure local patients and users have a greater input to shaping, improving, and designing local health and social care services.

If you are interested in getting involved / volunteering with Healthwatch Rochdale, please email info@healthwatchrochdale.org.uk

If you are aged between 13 – 18 and are interested in joining Youthwatch Rochdale please click here and fill out an application form.