Bucks Mind receive prestigious award on World Mental Health Day.

Buckinghamshire Mind was one of ten named local charities to receive The Queens Award for Voluntary Service earlier in June this year.

Over 15,000 lives were helped by Bucks Mind in 2018 and 2019, which was achieved with the help of over 500 volunteers.

A celebration was held on World Mental Health Day on October 10 and Bucks Mind was officially presented with the Crystal Award and Certificate from HM The Queen.

This was presented by the Queens representative Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher Bt HM Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire.

Sir Henry said: “Buckinghamshire Mind reaches out to some of the most isolated people in the community, working to support and represent those with mental health problems living across the county, with the aim of enabling them to live safe, purposeful and fulfilled lives.

“Buckinghamshire Mind works hard to ensure its volunteers are well supported to get the most out of their experiences and to ensure they know their contribution is valued appreciated.”

As the event was held on World Mental Health Day it highlighted how mental health problems can affect anyone at any time.

WMHD 2019 has had a large focus on suicide prevention, as almost 800,000 people globally take their own life every year and many more attempt to.

In the UK suicide is the leading cause of death among those aged 20-34 years.

Andrea McCubbin, CEO for Buckinghamshire Mind, said: “The scale and range of services that Buckinghamshire Mind delivers continues to grow.

“The key components of our strategy will be to complement the local view of the NHS long-term plan, whilst continuing to amplify our service user voice, build our relationships with key stakeholders and deliver the quality mental health services that the people in Buckinghamshire need.”