SME News Q4 2018

12 SME NEWS / Q4 2018 , Cambridge Villa Supported Living has, since its establishment in 1986, providedmuch needed services to those withmental health and learning difficulties in the Thanet District of Kent. In September, the firmwas recognised in the SME News Business Elite programme as the ‘Most OutstandingMental Health Support Service’. On the back of this win, we took a deeper look behind the scenes of this essential service. Providing Exceptional Mental Health Support for the Local Community For the last thirty years, Cambridge Villa has been an integral part of the fabric of the Thanet community, offering vital services for those that need it most. They believe in helping people to achieve independence, as much as that could be possible, whilst ensuring they maintain privacy and dignity, with the ability to make their own choices and decisions. To put it simply, they understand that their service users are human, and deserve all the respect that goes along with that. With the ability to accommodate up to sixteen service users with mental health difficulties, or clients who need support in their daily living, they ensure that each individual under their care is looked after, regardless of degree of assistance that they need. Working alongside the Thanet Mental Health Team, they provide highly-trained, and expert care with years of tested experienced. They are a service that can be trusted to always keep the well-being of their clients in mind. In their own words, they “provide a place where every service user can feel valued”. This statement belies the true nature of Cambridge Villa, which has always oriented itself towards the needs of those it serves. To help achieve this goal, they have made substantial efforts through their work to promote good practices in their service users; from reducing mental health hospital admissions and the use of illegal drugs, to increasing medication compliance. They change lifestyles for the better, setting their clients on a better path beyond their stay at Cambridge Villa. More than all of this, they are proud advocates for mental health awareness, hosting events and groups to directly help those with all-too common difficulties and issues. Amongst these are a weekly mindfulness group for those with anxiety, and cooking classes to aid in gaining independence. As part of their role encouraging interaction with the close-knit local community, they organise Christmas galas that serve to congratulate both staff and service users on the successes of the year past. This is a service that frequently acknowledges improvements and achievements – no matter how small they might be in the grand scheme of things. Even so, with all of this in consideration, Cambridge Villa’s work goes much deeper that anything captured here. For many, they provide vital services to help maintain independence and a degree of normality among difficult or challenging situations. For others, they are an ever-present source of support in the community. For UKE18152 all of these reasons, and many more besides, Cambridge Villa were recognised as the ‘Most Outstanding Mental Health Support Service’ – a title that they are, most certainly, qualified for. Company: Cambridge Villa Supported Living Address: 17-19 Eaton Road, Margate, Kent, CT9 1XB, United Kingdom Website: www.cambridgevillas.co.uk Telephone: 01843 294 622