Discussions around the direction of St Andrew's Healthcare fizzed with energy on Thursday when groups of dedicated staff, patients and governors came together to start forming the charity's new strategy. 

Around 100 people attended the first of three sessions which looked at what the organisation is planning to achieve over the next five years. 

CEO Dr Vivienne McVey said: "Our vision is a society in which everyone with mental health need is heard, valued, and has hope for the future. And the work we are doing in these sessions will make that vision a reality."

The strategy workshops

Over the course of the sessions, all attendees have been asked to decide on a series of milestones for each of the charity's seven ambition statements. Each group has been set the task of keeping the milestones simple, so that teams across the organisation can easily understand what it is the organisation will be trying to achieve together.

Phil Credland, who used the St Andrew's Veterans service, attended the first session. He is excited to be part of the future of the charity and give something back to the organisation he said previously has "saved his life". 

Speaking on Thursday, he said: "I'm out the other side now, luckily, but there's so many people that are not. And I'm here to try and do everything I can to enable people to go on the same journey that I've been on and be in the same place I am now, and that’s because of St Andrew's.”