A message from one of the founders of Sheffield Flourish 

It has been a great honour and pleasure to be involved with Sheffield Flourish over the last thirteen years. And it is now time for me to step down from the chair and the board. At my last Annual General Meeting on 18^th November people said truly kind and thoughtful words about me.  

It was lovely to see everyone: we should all be enormously proud of what we achieve working together in Flourish. We set up to be a channel to link people to their possibilities and to do things differently. I know that it is never enough, but we have achieved a lot. 

I have so many memories of the last years. In the winter 2011/12 I invited Brendan Stone and Julie Edwards to work with me to develop Recovery Enterprises. We got some money from business development and the Care Trust (thanks Ken Lawrie) and set off with workshops with CAST and the gardeners. A couple of years later we had groups working, but no money! The trustees came up with the Digital plan and off we went into Sheffield Flourish.  

What I think has been so important and impressive has been our adaptability and optimism, especially through tricky times. We did this through team working across all parts of Flourish.  I am so proud of how the digital work led to the Mental Health guide and the toolkits and helped people through Covid times. Co production has become the way things are planned in the city. We have gardeners, writers, artists, musicians and also singers, actors, footballers, creative content producers, toolkit users: the list goes on! 

I am especially proud that the board has listened hard and learned.  For example, we were not at all keen when the staff and groups wanted to move offices again, this time into Windrush Way, but we heard the reasons, and we trusted the team and said yes. What a good move that proved to be. And I learned so much when Josie organised for us to attend a Race Equity training course 5 years ago, learning which we brought back home, 

So many memories and so much I have learned from you all! It has been very fulfilling and it is time for me to leave the responsibilities. I will not lose my interest in Flourish and in mental health. The board have a plan to pull me back in for discussions sometimes, which I will be pleased to do.  

Finally, a big thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey, and who has trusted in what we’ve been doing. And all strength and optimism for times ahead!