Every December, Turning Point’s #ProudToSay campaign offers a point of reflection on the previous year and highlights moments to be proud of and celebrate, writes Julie Bass, chief executive at Turning Point.
The response that we have received this year has been fantastic – it is a great joy and privilege to read about people’s stories and achievements.
Every individual we support has a different story and the things they are proud of demonstrate this diversity. It may be achieving a personal best in recovery, talking openly about their mental health struggles or moving onto more independence.
What am I proud of?
I am proud to say that in the year of 2023/2024 we supported a total number of 197,594 people and 96% of our regulated services are now rated good or outstanding by the CQC, which is testament to the hard work and quality of care provision by our colleagues across the country.
This year, Turning Point marked its 60th anniversary by celebrating in many different and wonderful ways across the organisation. In January we launched our campaign to tell the ‘Story of Turning Point in 60 objects’ with the aim of using everyday objects submitted by colleagues, people we support and partners, to tell some amazing and important stories. We asked people to submit their story using an everyday object, as an accessible method of sharing moments of hope and inspiration. Over 100 people shared their objects and story with us, 60 of which were exhibited at Kensington Palace in June, an incredible visual exploration of the 60 objects.
We also commemorated our 60th year by hosting an insightful webinar series with a range of incredible panellists to discuss some of the most pressing topics in health and social care. We were joined by the Rt. Honorable Patricia Hewitt to discuss the role of the VCSE sector, as well as Michael Linnell to explore how to tackle the synthetic opioid crisis, and Robin Miller to consider how to better prevent long stays in hospital for people with learning disabilities. The webinar series was extremely well attended and offered a great platform to connect and share on important issues facing the sector.
I am proud to say that Turning Point continues its dedication to engagement and involvement, particularly championing the voices and stories of the people we support. This November, people we support from up and down the country gathered at our My Voice event in Birmingham to discuss topics that matter to them, including reducing stigma, service accessibility, and improving communication and connection. It is these moments of co-production and collaboration that strengthen our ability to offer services that are truly informed and person-centred and allow people we support to connect with one another.
I am proud to say that we celebrated September’s Recovery Month through a range of national events to highlight the incredible strength and importance of recovery. A highlight of this month was Hendrik’s award at the Recovery Street Film Fest in Sheffield. Hendrik is a long time Turning Point volunteer Peer Mentor, who has worked through his own recovery to be able to support others with similar experiences. Hendrik was shortlisted for his recovery film where he shared his experiences, the theme of which was belonging. We are so proud of Hendrik for being shortlisted and additionally winning third place. Hendrik’s bravery to share his own story so candidly is an inspiration to us all.
When I look back at the work we have done in 2023-24, I am proud to say that our impactful services continue to expand. I am proud to see a range of initiatives that have improved the experience of people who need support. We have gained new services in London to support local people with sexual health, including new young people’s and adult services in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham. Additionally, we have secured a new community drug and alcohol treatment service in Bristol with a focus on local expertise, partnering with local services deeply rooted within the community to create a truly collaborative and innovative service. We have expanded our network of services in Nottingham and gained new services in Lincolnshire and Wakefield, as well as launching the Blue Light Together platform to support the wellbeing of the Blue Light Community.
I know all too well there is so much more to be proud of this year which hasn’t been mentioned – many of our proudest moments come from those small interactions that take place daily, between colleagues and people we support up and down the country. This year at Turning Point has highlighted the importance of connection, celebration and community, and I look forward to carrying these themes forward into 2025.
This blog was originally published by Turning Point. You can read the original post here.
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