Boost for Chester charity which improves prospects for people with mental health problems

Feb 8 2011 Chester Chronicle

A WELCOME cash boost has been given to a local charity that improves prospects for people who have had mental health problems.

NHS Western Cheshire has a chairman's discretionary fund that he uses to support creative voluntary groups who have a novel approach to promoting health and well being.

Two community-based projects run by CHAPTER, or the Chester Area Project for Training Employment and Retraining, have received more than £900 each.

A key criteria for supporting these two projects was to help them to become self sustaining from increased sales of the products that they are able to produce.

The funding has been used for:

‘Wood 'n' Gardens’ - to buy a lathe, a chop saw and a number of tool sets for clients so that clients can use newly-learned woodworking skills to turn out saleable items such as garden furniture, planters and decorative objects such as goblets from donated recycled timber. Trainees also reframe and re-sell old mirrors.

As well as making useful and beautiful objects, clients learn professional woodworking skills, learn how to work as a team and gain self confidence and self esteem.

Gardening project - to buy covering and internal staging for CHAPTER's polytunnel. Clients grow bedding plants and hanging baskets and plough the proceeds from the sales back into the gardening project.

CHAPTER also runs two allotments where clients grow fruit and vegetables and offers elderly and disabled customers a lawn-cutting and basic gardening service.

CHAPTER's creative approach allows clients to earn money while remaining within benefit limits.

Again, CHAPTER's aim is to give clients a sense of purpose and improve their confidence and self-esteem.

NHS Western Cheshire chairman, John Church, said: “Both projects show how people's natural talents can be harnessed not just for their own health and well being but for the benefit of the whole community. I am delighted to support them and wish them every success in the future."