Community Group of the Year nomination – YESS

Community Group of the Year nomination – YESS

YESS – Your Emotional Support Service – has helped more than 6,000 people with their mental health and wellbeing since it was launched in 2011.

Based in Uttoxeter, the charity supports people of all ages in the town and the wider Staffordshire area.

It offers one-to-one therapy, various support groups, support resources and workshops, supporting individuals with a diverse range of issues from bereavement and loss to anxiety, stress, self-harm and low mood.

Earlier this year YESS Founder and CEO Julie Bird stood down from her post and Emily Webster became the Charity Lead.

During this change, following Julie running the charity for 12 years, the YESS staff and volunteer team have worked relentlessly to ensure the continuity of their service offer to the local community whilst maintaining staff morale and development.

YESS has been nominated as a Community Group of the Year in the Your Heroes Awards by Sarah Pritchard.

She said: “YESS has supported over 6,000 local individuals with their mental health and wellbeing needs. This has in turn touched the lives of many more members of the local community, their families, friends, peers and colleagues have all felt the benefits YESS brings to the town and to the surrounding areas.

“Without YESS Uttoxeter would not have a mental health charity to call its own. YESS is a well-established part of the town’s community.

“What makes YESS great? The people. YESS is made up of a dedicated board of trustees with a huge wealth of knowledge and experience between then, an amazing staff team of well -rounded individuals who always go above and beyond to ensure the charitiy’s success and of course the volunteers and placement students who help to continue to evolve YESS with their fresh thinking and new ideas.

“YESS continues to be a small, local charity however no matter how small YESS aims to make a big difference in the lives of the people it touches.”

Charity Lead Emily Webster said: “It’s an absolute pleasure to be nominated. The staff, counsellors and volunteers are second to none.

“The cost of living crisis has created many mental health and wellbeing issues but we can only carry on with the support of the community.”