Our Celebration

News Archive

Deans Discount Shopping Event

On Thursday 1st December, you can join us at Deans Garden Centre, Stockton on Forest, for a discount Christmas shopping event. 

York Mind have been selected as Deans adopted charity this year, and we will be attending to give out information about mental illness, as well as selling our fabulous 2012 Calendar!

So why not come down, and don't forget to buy your tombola ticket with all proceeds to York Mind!     (archived 2nd December 2011)

"York Celebrates John Barry" sells out     

Sunday October 30th sees a sell-out at the Barbican Centre for a unique tribute concert to one of York’s greatest sons, the late, great, Oscar-winning John Barry OBE.

Local musicians, bands and orchestras will perform his greatest hits, such as "Born Free" and "Goldfinger" - this is a fundraising event for the Lord Mayor of York's Charities, York Against Cancer and York & District Mind.

Join the Forum   

We are setting up a new group to help us to provide a better service to people in the local area experiencing mental ill-health. 

Led entirely by volunteers, the group will discuss the services which are provided by York Mind / Our Celebration and look at what could be done better, what we do well, and how we could adapt our groups and projects to make them relevant to the needs of the people we needs them.  None of the staff will be present, so that participants can feel that they can express any issues anonymously and frankly.  

Who can join?  

We want to encourage anyone who is either a current or previous user of mental health services in York .  Additionally we also provide services for people who are experiencing emotional distress of any kind, and so anyone who might feel that we have services relevant to their needs (regardless of whether they have ever been formally diagnosed with a particular condition) is most welcome.  

Do I have to have used Our Celebration or York Mind services before?

NO! Current and previous clients are of course encouraged to join, but we would also like to hear from people who have chosen not to use our services, felt they weren't appropriate for them or weren't previously aware of us.  

How do I join?

Meetings will be held at our offices in Clifton monthly on Wednesday afternoons, starting 5th October at 3pm. You can simply turn up on the day, but if possible please call to let us know so we can plan for numbers - 01904 643364    (archived 7th October 2011)

The Ball is back! 

We are delighted once again to be associated with the Lord Mayor's Valentine Ball next year, which will take place in the prestigeous Voltigeur Suite at York Racecourse on Saturday 11th February. 

This time, the two charities who will benefit are York Mind and York Against Cancer, and a full range of entertainment and fundraising is planned. As well as a drinks reception and a superb 4-course meal, you can expect to dance the night away to the stunning GOOSEHORNS live band, and of course you'll be able to bid for top quality items in the auctions. 

Last year a ticket would have cost you £59.  However, if you take advantage of our early-bird discount offer, you can get yours for just £50! Please note this offer is for a limited period only.  Tickets are available NOW and can be bought individually, or in tables of ten. 

So what are you waiting for?  Please contact us here if you would like an order form, or book directly with the Civic Office at York Guildhall - tel 01904 551011. 

See you there!  (26th Sep 2011)

Furry Friends raise £1000!  

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the "A Walk with Paolo" dog walking event in May, and in particular the organiser Lyn Wells, who put in a huge amount of work to make it a success. 

The final funds have now been paid in, and we're delighted to say that the event has raised £1,000 which is fantastic.

Lyn is already planning next year's walk for late April - watch this space!  (25th August 2011)

Well run!      

Our Celebration and York & District Mind had a number of people running in the York 10k run once again this year.  The event took place on Sunday 31st July, and over 6,000 runner participated in total. 

You can still sponsor some of our runners!  Simply click on the link for each person to visit their donations page, where you can make an instant contribution online.  Thank you! 

Ian Savage 

James Savage

Emily Richardson

Victoria Bryan     (12th Aug 2011)

Experience the thrill of a lifetime....for free! 

Ever fancied flinging yourself out of a plane at 10,000 and rasiing money for a great cause at the same time?  Well now you can!

Our Celebration and York Mind have teamed up with Skyline to offer you the opportunity to participate in a parachute jump overseen by professional instructors.  And if you raise over a set amount in sponsorship, it won't cost you a penny!  

Various different types of jump are available, on various dates at several locations around the North.  Please contact us here to register your interest.   (12th Aug 2011)

Film Launch!      

Our Celebration have been working with volunteers from York St John University to give some of our clients better access to higher education, while working on a specific mental-health related project.  

The result is that 2 volunteer students from YSJ have won an award for the most innovative project, and the clients have created a fantastic short film, which has now been entered into the Aesthetica Film Competition. As a result of this ground-breaking project, one client has now applied to the University to study and has found a paid job for the summer and another has been so inspired that she wants to work with young people as a Youth Worker on similar creative projects.

The film will was premiered on 22nd June at the De Grey Lecture Theatre at the University, and the audience were unanimous in their praise for the whole project.  And now you can watch the film in the comfort of your own living room, by using the YouTube link here.  (speakers needed).  (1st Aug 2011)

Lord Mayor chooses York & District Mind!   

We are delighted to hear that the Lord Mayor (elect), Cllr David Horton, has chosen to support our sister organisation York & District MIND as one of his two charities for his term of office starting in late May.  Regular readers will know that Our Celebration has enjoyed this honour during the current Lord Mayor (Susan Galloway)'s term of office, and the funds raised, along with the excellent publicity have been a real lift for a small charity.  

The fundraising committee have already met, and have lined-up some wonderful events - including the return of the Valentine Ball on 11th February!  (poster for this year's event below). Our fundraising manager Ian will once again be working closely with the Civic Office and the partner charity which will be York Against Cancer, and has promised to keep us updated on a regular basis!  

With York & District Mind entering a new era in partnership with Our Celebration, this news has given everyone a great boost, and we are delighted that Cllr Horton has chosen a local mental health charity for his year in office.  (11th April 2011)

Valentine Ball a HUGE success!   

Saturday 12th February was a red-letter day for Our Celebration, as we co-hosted our bigest event ever as part of our adoption (along with our good friends at British Heart Foundation) as one of the Lord Mayor of York's charities.     

The Valentine Ball was held at the Voltigeur Suite at York Racecourse, and was a huge success!  Following a lovely meal and some very thought-provoking words from the 2 charities, the fundraising began in earnest as the crowd scrambled to buy items from the "trees of promise" and bid for items in the auctions, as well as buying tokens for the casino too!  Meanwhile, on the dance floor, amazing local party band HUGE rocked the venue with their amazing live sound and graet fun was had by all!

Exact figure will follow, but initial calculations suggest that well over £10,000 was raised for two fantastic charities....and all we can say to everyone involved is a collossal THANK YOU! (7th March 2011)

Our Celebration and York MIND to merge 

The two leading mental health charities serving York and surrounding districts are to merge. Trustees of York and District Mind and Our Celebration have agreed a merger timetable to combine the two charities by April 2011.

The two charities currently provide a wide variety of services and support for people recovering from mental ill-health. These include training, mentoring, befriending and self-help activities, counselling and advocacy.  Supported by volunteers, their 26 employees help more than 1650 people each year.

 “Our intention is to create a single, significant charity offering an extensive range of services to support people affected by mental ill-health in York and surrounding districts.” says Dr Patrick Kaye , Chair of Our Celebration. "We aim to keep the process as simple and cost effective as possible. The first step will be for York and District Mind to merge with Our Celebration. We will then affiliate the new, larger charity to national Mind, before a public re-launch in April 2011.”

Roger Thompson, Chair of York and District Mind adds: “Like many voluntary sector organisations, both York Mind and Our Celebration have been aware of the benefits of joining with other like-minded charities for some time. We are delighted that our joint discussions have been fruitful. We see this as a route to securing both user services and jobs in the medium term, which is more vital than ever in the present economic climate.”

BACKGROUND

York and District Mind, which is affiliated to the national Mind charity, was established in 1952. Its offices are in Castlegate, York.   Our Celebration, the York-based independent provider of services for people recovering from mental ill-health, was founded in 1985 by Emmy Burdon.  It operates from modern, custom-built premises in Clifton.

For further information:

Mike Beckett, Director, York and District Mind     01904 647014

David Smith , General Manager, Our Celebration   01904 643364  or  contact us here if you would like to ask any questions.  

Questions & Answers

THE MERGED CHARITY AND ITS SERVICES

Q1. What are the benefits of the merger?

We are creating a single, local charity as the lead provider of high quality voluntary sector mental health services.

With a turnover of more than £500K, this enlarged mental health charity will be a major player in the voluntary sector in York .

Service-users and staff will benefit from the enhanced status, security and authority of a larger organisation.

As one charity, we can improve access to services and empower service users by simplifying feedback.

Combining national branding with established local resources will enhance our communications and fundraising efforts.

Q2. What will the merged charity be called?

There will be joint branding initially and both names will appear on the letterhead. However, Our Celebration’s trustees recognise the power of the Mind brand, so the merged charity will seek to be affiliated to national Mind.

Q3. What will be the ethos of the merged charity?

Both boards of trustees intend that the merged organisation will incorporate the core values and ethos of Our Celebration and Mind, with the Recovery Model being at the heart of the new organisation. The views of service-users will continue to be represented throughout all levels of the new organisation.

Q4. Will the merger mean that some services will cease?

We intend to retain all current services, dependent on the availability of funding. In the current climate, we cannot give absolute guarantees.  In the medium term, we hope to expand services to meet unmet needs in York and surrounding areas.

Q5. Is this a response to the latest round of local government/ voluntary sector cuts?

This is not a direct response to recently announced cuts. Our discussions pre-date those announcements.  One of our key aims is to enhance voluntary sector mental health services in York and the surrounding area.

STAFFING

Q6. Who will be the Director/chief Executive of the merged charity?

This will be an internal appointment; staff members from both OC and York Mind will be invited to apply. A joint panel of trustees from both OC and York Mind will interview short-listed candidates. It expected that an appointment will be made early in 2011.

Q7. Will there be job losses at either charity?

One of our intentions is to help secure both jobs and user services. Cost saving is not our primary aim. However, in the present climate, it would be unwise for any organisation to imply a blanket guarantee on jobs.

Q8. Will staff terms and conditions of employment change in the merged charity?

No – everyone will be employed on their existing terms and conditions.

Q9. Will Mind/OC staff be consulted about the merger plans?

The trustees of York Mind and Our Celebration unanimously believe that this merger is in the best interests of both organisations and the people they serve.  A joint steering group, consisting of trustees from both organisations, has been set up to progress the merger. This group will consult widely with all key stakeholders – including staff - to ensure that the merger takes full account of their views and that the new organisation operates as effectively as possible.

PREMISES

Q10. Where will the merged charity be based?

OC owns the building it operates from in Clifton Green. It is planned that the head office of the merged charity will be located there.

Q11. Will the merger mean the closure of the Mind office in Castlegate?

Accommodation requirements will be reviewed as part of the merger process. It is likely that some functions will transfer from the Mind offices to the OC site at Clifton Green, though we are mindful that city centre facilities can be helpful for some clients.

TRUSTEES, MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS

Q12. Who will be the Chair of the merged charity?

The new merged Board will have trustees from both York Mind and Our Celebration. They will elect a new Chair in April 2011.

Q13. What effect will the merger have on volunteers?

Both York Mind and OC are highly dependent on their volunteers who help in the provision of some key services. It is likely that the merged charity will be able to provide enhanced support and training for volunteers.

Q14. What impact will the merger have on Mind’s membership?

York and District Mind is a membership organisation. Members include those with an interest in mental health, supporters, service-users and volunteers. Such strong community roots are of considerable benefit and the trustees plan to ensure that this is maintained as part of the merged charity.

Members will be asked to formally approve the merger at a special meeting to be held in January.     ( January 2011)

Valentine Ball!   

Even though most of us are just getting over Christmas, the Lord Mayor's fundraising committee have been planning February's Valentine Ball for several months already, and now we need your help and support please!

This presigious event takes place on February 12th, and the star attraction will be legendary York party band HUGE.  There will also be auctions, raffles, casino and much much more!

How can you help? 

We are seeking donations of items which can be auctioned or raffled on the night. Are you able to help us by giving an item which might be used in this way, or do you know someone who would?  Perhaps someone who runs a shop who can donate a prize, a beautician who would be willing to donate a "makeover" or maybe even a chef willing to come and cook at your home? 

We're also looking for local and national businesses who are willing to support the event by advertising in the event brochure, or become a sponsor. 

You can download and print off the poster to put up at your office give to friends below.    

Last, but by no means least, tickets are NOW ON SALE, and are priced at £59 each, and available individually or in tables of 10.  Please support this wonderful event by buying a ticket, and don't forget to bring your partner...this is a Valentine Ball don't forget!!  All proceeds go to the Lord Mayor's Charity Fund, which supports Our Celebration and the British Heart Foundation.

Please contact us here for more details,  or you can buy your tickets directly from the Civic Office at York Guildhall, tel 01904 551011 email civicenquiries@york.gov.uk   Download the form to purchase your tickets here.

Download this poster to print here

  (Feb 2011)

HUNTINGTON SCHOOL

We want to say a huge thank you to the staff and students of Huntington School. As part of their community programme, they have given their time to help refurbish our craft room, to make it much warmer, brighter and more welcoming. This is especially important for newly referred clients who are just starting their recovery who often need a safe and friendly environment which doesn't have that "institutional" feel.

Thank you all so much - great work!  (December 2010)

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CALENDAR AND CHRISTMAS CARDS NOW ON SALE

The 2011 Calendar is now available, priced at just £7.99.  Designed by our friends at the BlackDogWhiteWall photography club, all proceeds go to the Lord Mayor's charity fund which supports Our Celebration and British Heart Foundation.  

The calendar is A3 size, and includes some absolutely stunning images from around York & North Yorkshire - and you even get a bonus month in January 2012!    

To reserve your copies, please contact us here, or call in to either our reception at Highcliffe House or the Civic Office at York Guildhall. 

We also have packs of Christmas cards available to order...priced at £1.25 for 5 (small) or £1.99 for 5 (large) - all proceeds will go to Our Celebration.  Please order cards directly from us.  (December 16th 2010)

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Our Celebration needs you!  Without the support of our fabulous volunteers, we simply wouldn't be able to provide all of our services.  We currently need two volunteers willing to give up a few hours each week to support people in the local area recovering from mental ill-health.  

Computer Club Volunteer

The Computer Club provides an opportunity for our clients to use computers to develop their own interests and projects in a relaxed environment. 

Day & Time:  Thursdays 10.50 – 12.40

Aims of Volunteer Role:  To support our clients in the Computer Club to access Internet, Word & email.

Skills Required:  

• Knowledge and experience of IT packages such as Word, Internet and email.   

• Empathy and patience to support clients with mental health issues.

• A flexible and professional manner.

Reception Volunteer

Aims of Volunteer Role: 

To be the friendly and welcoming face of Our Celebration at the reception desk.

Skills Required:

• A friendly and approachable manner.

• Telephone skills.

• Ability to take messages.

• Good communication skills.

• A professional approach.

As a volunteer you would be fully supported by our Volunteer Coordinator.  For more information please contact us here, or call Diane Benson on 01904 643364. 

Do not pass Go, do not collect £200!! 

Fantastic news has reached us that Our Celebration has been selected by popular vote to be one of the charities featured on the York edition of the Monopoly board game. This will be a fantastic way of raising awareness of the charity; thank you so much to everyone who voted for us!

Our Celebration will feature on the "Community Chest" square, and a preview of how it will look is below.  We understand that the game will be on sale in time for Christmas, so what better stocking filler could you find?  (Sept 16th 2010)

Are you a curry monster?

If you like spicy food you DO NOT want to miss this fantastic evening!!

On Saturday 16th October, come and join us at the Guildhall for a curry night, hosted by the chefs of 2 Signal Regiment of the Queen's Gurkhas. Previous events have proved that NO-ONE can knock up a better quality Nepalese dish than these guys!

Tickets are a bargain at just £20 per head, and can be reserved immediately...please contact us here to secure your place and avoid disappointment.  

The evening is a fundraising event in support of the Lord Mayor of York's charities - Our Celebration and The British Heart Foundation.   (9th September 2010)

Annual concert  

Why not come and join us for a fantastic evening of music & song on Saturday 2nd October?    

The York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir are performing a varied choral selection in this annual concert in the Guildhall.
Tickets are £8.00...the concert starts at 7.30pm, and it is a truly wonderful occasion - with a variety of songs to suit all tastes.

All proceeds to the Lord Mayor of York's charities (Our Celebration and British Heart Foundation)

Please contact us here if you would like to purchase tickets.  (7th Sept 2010) 

Every little helps.... 

For the first time, Our Celebration were at TESCO superstore on Tadcaster Road on Thursday 12th August, holding an in-store collection. 

We are delighted to report that the event raised a total of £209.90 which will be used to support people in the York area recovering from mental ill-health.

We would like to say a MASSIVE thank you to our fantastic team of volunteers; Judy, Paul, Collette, Zena, Judith, James and Lucy - you are all stars!  And of course a huge thanks to all of Tesco's customers who made a donation.     (15th Aug 2010)

Come and drink the best coffee in the world - ever!!!

Ok we lied.   We can't guarantee that the coffee will be the best in the world, but we certainly CAN guarantee a great morning of socialising and fundraising!!

On Saturday 26th June, between 10am and 1pm there will be a fundraising coffee morning at CHRIST CHURCH, on Stockton Lane in York.  Entry is a mere £1, and includes a cup of tea or coffee and a cake. Probably the best quid you'll ever spend!

You will also be able to buy items from various stalls including cakes, preserves, handicrafts and books. 

All proceeds will be donated to Our Celebration to help us support people in the local area recovering from mental ill-health.   If you would like more information please contact us here to get in touch. 

UPDATE...The event raised over £600!!!  Thank you so much to everyone who organised the event, donated produce etc, ran the stalls, made the tea, and turned up on the day to support us.   (28th June 2010)

Ready….Steady….LIFE! Starts July 

As part of the COMIC RELIEF funded Young People’s project, Our Celebration will be launching a new course aimed at young adults who are recovering from mental ill-health.  Focusing on life, personal and employability skills, we are aiming to help people to get prepared for education, employment and everyday life!  The course will be OCR accredited, and starts 30th July. 

If you are interested in taking part, please contact us as soon as possible by clicking here quoting “Ready Steady Life”   (22nd June 2010)

Our Celebration is a UK Online Centre!

Following our recent announcement that Our Celebration has become York's latest "UK Online" Centre, we are delighted to have secured some Government funding to help us to roll out the training to people in the York area recovering from mental ill-health.  This compliments our existing ICT training programmes, and will significantly widen the availability of access to IT equipment and training for our service-users. 

Manager David Smith expressed his delight, saying "once again, Our Celebration has demonstrated that funders can trust us to deliver top quality projects which provide excellent recovery outcomes for clients with severe and enduring mental health conditions. We are very pleased that UK Online have provided this funding to help us to support even more people in the York area on their road to recovery from mental illness, and we thank them very much indeed."

The best news of all is that ANYONE can register free of charge with Our Celebration for free IT training through the MyGuide website!   Simply click here and follow the simple on-screen instructions, using the Our Celebration centre ID of 3420995.  Good luck!    (24th May 2010)    

Design and Print Studio getting better all the time! 

Our Celebration’s Design and Print studio received a boost recently, with a big thumbs-up from The North Yorkshire Learning Consortium, who provide funding to support clients in the studio.  We now have a much greater focus on providing work placements in the studio, with most people looking to move back into paid employment straight after their time there. 

The NYLC paid a recent visit to review the effectiveness of the Design and Print studio in helping clients to make the big step out into the working work, and they came away very pleased with what they saw.  As well as praising the day-to-day operation itself, the NYLC also recognised the excellent level of background support that we are able to give to our service-users.  Comments included:-

“It was clear to see that the learners see Our Celebration as a source of security and learning to help them on the pathway to a more stable life.”

Thank You

We would like to thank the staff and customers of Sainsburys supermarket on Foss Bank, who welcomed us into the store on Friday & Saturday 4/5th March for a collection. 

In total we raised £463, which was an incredible result, and we were delighted with the proceeds.  Many thanks to all who contributed, and of course to our fantastic volunteers who helped on the day!  We will be returning to the store in September and we will announce details on this site nearer the time.  

If you would like to know more about fundraising with Our Celebration, please contact us here.   (31st March 2010) 

Lord Mayor backs Our Celebration!

Our Celebration are delighted that Cllr Susan Galloway, who takes over as Lord Mayor shortly,  has selected Our Celebration as one of her adopted charities for the term of office (alongside the British Heart Foundation). 

There will be a number of high-profile fundraising events during the course of the year, and lots of opportunities to support us! Keep checking this site and the York Press for details.  (23rd March 2010)

York 10k run entries now open

On Sunday August 1st, the second Jane Tomlinson York 10K run will be taking place, and Our Celebration is looking for people willing to take part and raise funds to help local people recovering from Mental Illness.

Entries are open NOW, and will cost £26 for a general entry.  If you are willing to pledge to raise sponsorship for Our Celebration, we will be more than happy to help with your fundraising, set up a “Just Giving” webpage, and we can provide a branded T-Shirt for you to wear on the day. 

Please hurry though; the race is expected to be fully subscribed very soon! If you would like to know further details, please contact us here,  or telephone Ian Savage on 01904 643364.    (10th March 2010)

Our Celebration announces two new projects for 2010

We are absolutely delighted to be able to launch two brand new projects in 2010, thanks to the support of two very high profile donors. 

First of all COMIC RELIEF have pledged 3 years’ worth of funding to enable us to provide specific support to young adults (18-25) who are recovering from their first episode of psychosis. This can be an incredibly frightening and stressful experience, and is one which almost always happens in this age range.  We will be recruiting a Mentor to support these young adults as they recover, and there is a huge amount of evidence to show that early intervention of this kind can have a massive positive effect on a person’s mental condition throughout their lifetime. 

Secondly, the LLOYDS TSB FOUNDATION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES have provided a grant over the next 2 years, to enable us to better support our clients to move into paid employment. Many people make excellent recoveries from episodes of mental ill health, but often find making the transition back into the working world a very daunting experience.  We will be recruiting a support worker to guide clients though that process, and give them the help and confidence they need to get back into employment. 

We are really pleased that these two organisations have chosen to provide funding to Our Celebration, and we feel it is great recognition of the excellent work done here by all of our staff and volunteers.  We would like to express our sincere gratitude to both Comic Relief and Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales for their support.    (4th Feb 2010)

We feel good! (about vounteering!) 

2010 is the National Year of the Volunteer, and Our Celebration is delighted to have been asked by the City of Your Council and York Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) to help design the logos and branding for the campaign in the City. 

We have a fully equipped Design and Print Studio here at Highcliffe House, in which we deliver work placements for clients who have recovered sufficiently from their mental ill-health to be considering moving into paid or voluntary employment.  This group of clients has been working together with local marketing consultant Ned Hoste of “The Big Ideas Collective” to come up with ideas for branding, logos and straplines for the campaign when it is launched in January. 

At Our Celebration, we always feel strongly that mental illness should NOT have to be a barrier to a full and complete life, and we are often able to help people to progress to full recovery, and a return to the working world.  We feel immensely proud of the quality of the designs that our service users have created, which you will be seeing across the city for the next 12 months!

If you would like to know about volunteering opportunities at Our Celebration, please contact us here    (January 11th 2010) 

THANK YOU! 

A huge thanks to Alison Pittard, who has decided not to send any of her family and friends a Christmas card this year, but has pledged to give all the money she would have spent to Our Celebration instead!  We think it’s a fantastic gesture and guess what? You can boost the fund too, by visiting Alison’s “JustGiving” webpage and making an online donation here. 

Alternatively, if you’d like to follow Alison’s lead and set up your own “JustGiving” webpage to do something similar, drop us a line here, and well help you to help us!     (January 6th 2010)

2010 Calendar now on sale! 

We are delighted to offer our superb 2010 Calendar which is on sale NOW at Highcliffe House.  The calendar shows seasonal images of York and the surrounding area, and makes a really lovely and great value Christmas gift priced at only £6.99 or £7.49 with envelope.  

If you are unable to call in to buy one, please contact us here to request prices for mail order. 

We would like to express our grateful thanks to Blackdogwhitewall Photographic group who have provided the photography and design free of charge.  

UPDATE 17th DECEMBER - Please hurry if you want to secure a calendar, we only have a few left!!   (6th January 2010)

EBAY Celebrity auction a great success! 

As part of the ongoing fundraising activity here at Our Celebration, a number of our volunteers spend a great deal of time working to collect items of autographed celebrity memorabilia which we auction on the EBAY site every few months. Most of the items are signed photos, although we also receive other items such as signed books or T-shirts.

The Winter 2009 auction has now closed, and we are awiting final totals on the funds we have raised.  We would like to thank all of the celebrrities who gave us items to sell, and of course all of the bidders.

Some of the famous people who donated memorabilia were:- 

Louis Theroux (Weird Weekends)

Sharon Osbourne (X Factor)

Henry Cooper (Boxer)

Richard Wilson (Victor Meldrew)

Terence Stamp (General Zod in Superman films)

Russell Brand (Comedian)

Derren Brown (Illusionist)  

Phillip Schofield & Holly Willoughby (This Morning) 

Nobby Stiles (1966 England World Cup winner) 

Tamzin Outhwaite (Actresss)

Ricky Gervais (the Office, Extras, various films)

Plus various others!

If you missed out in this occasion, please don't worry, because there will be further auctions during 2010 - please check back regularly for details!  We also hope to hold a live auction at a venue in York soon - details TBA! 

All of the proceeds of the auction will be donated to Our Celebration, and used to help our work in supporting people recovering from Mental ill-health in the York area.   (December 21st 2009)

THANK YOU! 

Our Celebration held our first street collection in York City Centre on Friday 30th October.  The day was a great success, and we raised a total of £180.35.  We would like to thank all the volunteers who came along to hold tins and buckets, and of course a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who made a donation. 

If you would like to know more about how you can help with our fundraising events, please contact us here.   (November 10th 2009)

Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside! 

A group of service users, volunteers and staff enjoyed the Our Celebration annual day out on Thursday September 24th, taking a coach trip to Whitby .  A fantastic day out was enjoyed by everybody, and we were extremely relieved to see the sun shining! We like to be able to offer our clients an opportunity once every year to "do something different" for a day, and of course the benefits of this on mental health are well proven.  We would like to express our gratitude to the Calmcott Trust who very kindly provided the funding to enable us to organise the trip. 

If you are interested in making a donation to help Our Celebration arrange a similar trip in the future, or just to help us provide extra support for people in the York area recovering from mental illness, please click here.    (October 15th 2009)

Look Out for us in the news soon!

We are delighted that The Big Lottery Fund, which is an ongoing funder of Our Celebration, have chosen us as their regional PR partner for World Mental Health Day in October. This means that Our Celebration will be participating in a number of features in the media, so don’t forget to watch out for us!
This is an excellent development for us, because we are always seeking ways of raising awareness about the work we do, and also the issue of mental ill-health in the York area.  If you know of any news stories we may be able to publicise, please contact us here. (October 1st 2009)

Welcome to the new Our Celebration website!

You may have noticed a few changes to the website, which we hope you will like.  There is now a "latest news" section on the front page, to keep you fully informed about what is going on here at Our Celebration. Please remember to get in touch if you have any suggestions about the website or improvements that you would like to see.   Also don't forget that you can subscribe here to our FREE email newsletter, which means you will always be first to hear about any exciting developments. (September 25th 2009)