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This is England's most ambitious programme to end discrimination faced by people who experience mental health problems. The programme of 35 projects is led by Mind, and Rethink (Mental Health Media have now merged to become part of Mind). It is funded with £16m from the Big Lottery Fund and £4m from Comic Relief, and evaluated by the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College, London.  The programme is backed by international evidence on what works, and has at its heart people with direct experience of mental health problems. For further information, visit http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/about-us Rethink are asking for people to join their...

Southdown are delighted to announce the appointment of Kay Holden, as the new Director of Learning Disability Services at Southdown. Kay has worked in learning disability services for three decades, initially qualifying as a nurse then moving on to social care services.  Prior to joining Southdown, Kay worked for a Local Authority; working as a practitioner, qualifying as a trainer and, more latterly, managing provider services and leading Care Management teams. Kay remains passionate about the need to offer good quality support to vulnerable people and says: “I am delighted to take up the post with Southdown Housing Association having...

It is with sadness and gratitude that we say good-bye and thank you to Sheridan Lynch who leaves Southdown this week after 14 years.  Sheridan has been  Director of the Learning Disability division of Southdown since 2001 and during that time she provided the support, guidance and leadership that has allowed these services to flourish.  She has been passionate about her commitment to delivering personalised support to people with learning disabilities when and where they want it.  She has been absolutely committed to the values of Southdown and to our mission of ensuring that everyone has the life they choose...

Southdown has been awarded the IPS contract to deliver a new vocational service for people with mental health needs across West Sussex. The new service will launch as from 1 April 2010 and provide support to over 400 people each year who wish to enter or retain paid employment.  The service is commissioned by West Sussex County Council and West Sussex Primary Care Trust and will see Southdown provide vocational services as part of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s Mental Health Recovery Teams. This means that Southdown now delivers mental health vocational services across East and West Sussex and Brighton...

Staff at Southdown Housing Association are joining in the celebrations with the first person helped to buy a property with their new special shared ownership scheme. The Association was awarded a grant from the Housing Corporation to assist people with long-term disabilities in getting their first step on the property ladder. Sarah Bunting, the first shared ownership success, said: “I’m so excited – I’m over the moon and couldn’t have done it without Southdown.” Sarah had struggled to get on the property ladder for years due to her disability. Now she owns a substantial share of her own home and...

Jean Catt, a tenant from Hailsham, and the residents of a residential service at Harison Road in Seaford, were the joint winners of Southdown Housing Association’s Garden Challenge Trophy. The presentation was made at the Association’s annual garden award event held recently at Michelham Priory. The annual garden competition had 150 entries, with prizes awarded for many different categories. Jean Catt moved into her home in January and has designed her garden from scratch. She said: “I’ve been gardening all my life and never won a trophy, I’m really excited .I’m hoping to be a competition judge next year and...

Heavy Load, the Brighton based punk rock band made up of musicians with and without learning disabilities from Southdown Housing Association, is launching the film about them at The Cine-City Brighton Film Festival. ‘Heavy Load – a film about happiness’ is a comedy about a precarious negotiation between two worlds – the sweat and romance of playing in a band, alongside living with a learning disability. Directed by Jerry Rothwell (Deep Water) the film has already been a great success in the US and the UK and won The Best Overall Film and Documentary at the Boomtown Film Festival, Texas....

Brighton based Oska Bright Film festival is the only kind in the world that screens films made by people with learning disabilities and has recently been voted the country's favourite lottery-funded arts project. The award was presented live on BBC 1 on Saturday the 6th of September by Eastenders star Emma Barton to Mark Richardson, the festival's co-director, Mingling with the stars and captured on camera, posing with the award alongside Emma and Mark, was Southdown service user and OSKA volunteer Mathew Hellett