News

As Alison Lowe steps down, Touchstone is awarded a second consecutive platinum award

At Touchstone, a Yorkshire based mental health and wellbeing charity that works in partnership with many other organisations, our first priority is always the results that we achieve with and for our service users. But to do this, we invest and commit to supporting our diverse and talented staff to reach their potential. That support has been recognised by Investors In People for the second time, who has awarded Touchstone

2021-08-18T11:42:11+01:0018th August 2021|News|

Annual Service User Survey 2021 results

"Live Well Leeds saved my life. My worker is very understanding and is always there when I need her." - Live Well Leeds Service User "I've used the café a lot during the pandemic. Struggling with physical disabilities, domestic abuse as well as isolation. I've had support with a lot of the workers throughout all nights. I can honestly say that you are life savers. I will be forever indebted

2021-08-06T15:28:38+01:006th August 2021|Annual Report, Data and Statistics, News, Service News|

Yorkshire mental health charity Touchstone has appointed Arfan Hanif as its Chief Executive Officer

Touchstone’s Operations Director, Arfan Hanif, has been appointed to the role of Chief Executive Officer following the departure of Alison Lowe. Arfan originally came to Touchstone on a temporary contract as a Community Development Worker in late 2012. He quickly demonstrated his leadership abilities and was recruited to the Senior Management Team just 9 months later. Arfan has over 25 years of senior leadership experience in the Public and Voluntary

2021-07-06T13:05:14+01:006th July 2021|Leadership, News|

Touchstone wins at the Charity Awards 2021

Touchstone is delighted to announce that it has taken one of three top honours at this year’s Charity Awards for its outstanding response to the Covid-19 crisis. The Charity Awards is the longest-running and most prestigious awards scheme in the charity sector, and this year the organisers decided to open up a special new category specifically to recognise the fantastic contribution of the charity sector in responding to the coronavirus

2021-06-11T10:21:03+01:0011th June 2021|Food, News|

Places Called Home funding programme opening 22 June – info on eligibility criteria

Advance notice of small grant programme for up to £5,000 per project to improve community spaces and deliver sustainable activities for communities across the UK On 22 June, we will open a new funding programme called Places Called Home which is a partnership between The National Lottery Community and the world’s largest home furnishing retailer. Places Called Home will offer eligible groups funding awards of between £1,000 and £5,000 for

2021-06-09T13:50:49+01:009th June 2021|News|

WY&H HCP anti-racism movement toolkit

West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership (WY&H HCP) supports 2.7million people, including over 300,000 unpaid carers, living in urban and rural areas. 570,000 are children and young people. 20% of people are from minority ethnic communities. A WY&H HCP review in 2020 identified the need for an anti-racism movement aimed at WY&H HCP staff, organisations and communities. Our objective is to unite WY&H HCP colleagues and communities in

2021-06-04T11:00:09+01:004th June 2021|Diversity, Downloads, Equality and Diversity, News, Partnership|

Leeds Perinatal Mental Health Peer Supporter Alliance – The year behind, the year ahead!

It’s been a tough year, trying to build a network of peer supporters - and encourage them to work together and share their skills - during a global pandemic where we were literally told we couldn’t meet each other!  Never-the-less, a little over a year on and the Leeds Perinatal Mental Health Peer Supporter Alliance has achieved things that I’m really proud of.  Soon it will be let loose on

2021-06-02T15:47:08+01:002nd June 2021|News, Peer Support|

Touchstone celebrates world class levels of employee engagement

Yorkshire mental health charity Touchstone celebrates achieving three star accreditation in the annual Best Companies to Work For – 2021 – for employee engagement, which is classed as world class levels of employee engagement and is the highest star rating you can achieve. At the Best Companies Awards on 21 May 2021, Touchstone ranked 35th in Best Large Companies to work for in the UK, 3rd Best Companies - Charity

2021-05-25T10:43:11+01:0024th May 2021|News|

Alison Lowe, CEO of Touchstone, stepping down to become the Deputy Mayor of West Yorkshire

After 17 years as Chief Executive Office of Touchstone, Alison Lowe has made the very difficult decision to step down.  This is because the new West Yorkshire Metro Mayor, Tracy Brabin, will be recommending Alison to the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel as her candidate to become the Deputy Mayor for Policing. Alison Lowe reflected “I have made the difficult decision to leave and pursue my passion of inclusion,

2021-05-13T13:53:08+01:0013th May 2021|News|