As part of their ongoing efforts to give back to the community, individuals supported at Cygnet Nield House baked and delivered sweet treats to their local emergency services and a care home.
Located on Bradfield Road, Cygnet Nield House is a 29-bed mental health hospital for women.
The service provides care across two wards; Clarion Ward, a complex personality disorder service for women with a dual diagnosis of personality disorder and co-morbid disordered eating, and Compton Ward, a 15-bed acute service.
The freshly made treats baked by individuals supported on Clarion Ward were shared with the local A&E Department, Fire Station, Ambulance Station and the residents of Telford Court Care Home.
Michelle Bickerton, Activity Coordinator at Cygnet Nield House, praised the service users for their enthusiasm.
She said: “Baking is something we all enjoy here and it has given us a brilliant opportunity to be an active part of the local community. Both our staff and individuals we support get great satisfaction and happiness from giving back to others. It’s a chance to show the appreciation Cygnet Nield House has for our emergency services and key workers.
“The best part is meeting new people and seeing the smiles on their faces when we hand them the cakes. We’ve received such positive feedback from the community, which is nice for our service users to see the gratitude people have for their hard work.”
The Cygnet Health Care service started their sweet endeavour three years ago as a way to say thanks to the local community. It has also encouraged individuals receiving inpatient support for disordered eating to engage with food, which has helped build confidence and develop positive relationships with food.
Emily, an individual supported on Clarion Ward, helped deliver the cakes across the community.
She said: “I had a really good time baking and delivering the cakes. It was good to bring smiles to those who deserve it because of all they do for other people. I also enjoyed meeting the firefighters and sitting in the fire engine.”