The New Year got off to a cracking start with another patient recovery story which was covered in several local media publications.

Saffron, who chose to waive her right to patient confidentiality, said she plans to focus on getting better in 2022 and starting a career in mental health.

The 19-year-old shared her story in a video on the St Andrew’s YouTube channel and her tale was also picked up on the Chronicle and Echo website, the newspaper itself, Northants Live News and also a European title called Daily Advent.

Just days later the Essex Criminal Sentence Treatment Requirements (CSTR) service received praise on the Essex TV website and the Basildon Echo.

A former service user had spoken out saying how she had “hit rock bottom” until she joined the scheme, which gave her mental health support, and now she has pieced her life back together again.

Mental health nurse Simon Austin, who began his career at St Andrew’s as a Healthcare Assistant, got some good media coverage during mid January.

The former building turned to healthcare after wanting a change in direction and was able to train as a nurse after participating in the St Andrew’s Aspire programme.

His story appeared in the London News Today, Builder Master, Business in the Midlands, UK News Latest, Wellbeing News, Business in the News, and SME Business News.

Then rounding off the month Emma’s fundraising story made the Chronicle and Echo on both the website and the newspaper.

 The 17-year-old was discharged from CAMHS in June 2021 and now back at college and successfully carrying on with her recovery, she decided she wanted to give something back to the hospital.

So she set herself the challenge of running more than 8km a day, every day, throughout the month of January. This would eventually total the same distance her parents travelled each time they went to visit her in hospital which was just over 250km.

All money she raised she has promised to St Andrew’s, which will be spent on fun activities for CAMHS patients.