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News & Updates

Stay up to date with the latest news and updates at YESS.

Lucy's Leap in Support of YESS

We want to say a huge thanks to Lucy, for her incredible fundraising efforts! 

As a Uttoxeter resident, Lucy has witnessed the impact of mental health struggles on those close to her. Although they weren’t referred to YESS, she recognises the invaluable support our charity provides to the community. 

Lucy, also bravely shares her own journey with mental health, highlighting the importance of professional support available locally. 

Lucy participated in a fantastic initiative at work, dedicated to addressing mental health by organising various activities throughout the year. 

From marathons to cycling events, group hikes, a soapbox race, and even a daring skydive, this group is all about bringing people together outside of work. 

In the spirit of supporting mental health, it made perfect sense to rally behind a local mental health charity like ours.

Your dedication and commitment to our charity truly make a difference in the lives of those struggling with mental health challenges. 

Your support helps us continue our mission of providing counselling and resources to our community.

Together, we’re making positive change happen!

 

YESS Joins
the Armed Forces Covenant

YESS is extremely proud to announce that we have been successful in our application to join the Armed Forces Covenant, having pledged our commitment to providing mental health support to the Armed Forces Community in any way we can!
 
We recognise the value of Serving Personnel both Regular and Reservists, Veterans, and military families contribute to our charity and to our country.
 
YESS will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant and we will endeavour in our charity dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
  • No member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantages in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen.
  • In some circumstances, special treatment may be appropriate, especially for the injured or bereaved.

A farewell to Our Founder, julie

So last week we wished farewell to our wonderful CEO & founder of Your Emotional Support Service, Julie Bird.
 
It is true to say she has been, and will continue to be, more than just the founder of YESS. Her leadership, enthusiasm and counsel will be missed by all those who have worked with her.
 
Julie has helped make a difference to so many lives, without her YESS wouldn’t be where it is today – for her we are truly grateful!
 
On behalf of the entire YESS family, we send our heartfelt thanks to Julie – for her commitment, enthusiasm, and true leadership of YESS over the years. 💜
 
Please see below a message from our board of Trustees:
 
Julie, as our Founder will continue to hold a distinguished voluntary position within YESS, having played an instrumental role in its inception and growth. This role exists outside the formal organisational structure and has no operational or leadership responsibilities. In this role, she will report directly to the Chair of the Trustees and provide strategic guidance, lend her extensive expertise, and act as a trusted advisor to the Board of Trustees and the Charity Lead.
 
The following are key areas where Julie, ‘The Founder’, contributes her invaluable insights, ensuring a seamless continuation of her visionary legacy:
 
Strategic Advisor: The Founder, in recognition of their instrumental role in the inception and growth of YESS, holds an honorary position as a strategic advisor. They provide occasional guidance and lend their extensive expertise to help shape the charity’s long-term vision, goals, and strategic direction.
 
Fundraising and Donor Relations Support: As a distinguished figurehead within the charity, the Founder graciously offers their support in cultivating relationships with major donors, foundations, and stakeholders on an occasional basis. They may participate, as honoured guests, in select fundraising efforts, donor meetings, and events to contribute to the charity’s financial sustainability.
 
Brand Ambassador: The Founder, in their honorary capacity, continues to support the charity by representing its mission and values in public appearances, speaking engagements, and media interviews. Their occasional presence serves to raise awareness, enhance the charity’s reputation, and attract new supporters.
 
Legacy and Advocacy Honouree: The Founder, as a key individual associated with YESS, leverages their influence and connections to advocate for the charity’s cause on occasion. They play a vital role in preserving and promoting the charity’s legacy, ensuring that its core values and impact continue to be upheld.

The trent & Dove Awards

We are delighted to announce, we won the award for ‘Impact on the Community by an Organisation Award!

We are so excited to announce that we won the award for ‘Impact on the Community by an Organisation’ Award at Trent & Dove Housing Awards! 

Well done to all the nominees, it was a great evening hearing all about the amazing work that has been done in our Community. 

We truly couldn’t have done it without the excellent support of our community & our wonderful Team here at YESS – we are so beyond grateful for the support & generosity we receive daily.

People are truly at the forefront of what we do, we aim to support individuals with their Mental Health & offer them a safe, professional space for them to explore this. So, winning this award really solidifies the importance of our work within the community – showcasing the positive impact of providing people with much needed Mental Health Support. 

A huge thank you again, we couldn’t have done this without you!

Published – 1st of May, 2023.

The london Marathon 2023

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to Gareth for his incredible efforts in running the London Marathon and raising funds for our charity.  His commitment and determination helps us to continue our work and make a positive impact on our community

Read Gareth’s story & see why he chose YESS as his Charity of choice… 📕

“I started running 13 years ago at 26, after never running before.  From then I tried to get a place in the London marathon but have been unsuccessful until now! I have run for Uttoxeter Road Runners, and am now running for Burton Athletics.  

I’m a father to 3 boys and have 2 stepdaughters, so my wife and I have a busy house! But I’ve managed, since getting my place in October 2022, to rack up 436 miles training so far! 

The reason behind choosing YESS as the charity I’m running for was that 6 years ago, my boys had a very difficult time. YESS offered counselling at school initially, and Tammy struck up a great relationship with the boys, gaining their trust to open up about their feelings which helped them make sense of what was going on. 

As a family, we wanted to give something back to thank them for this.”

We are so grateful for your dedication and support in helping us make a difference. Thank you for going the extra mile for a great cause.

Here’s what Gareth had to say about the day… 

“It was such a brilliant day the crowds were amazing, and it was such a surreal experience. I completed the marathon in 3hrs 41mins.”

Thank you, Gareth, for choosing to support our charity and for making a difference in the lives of those in need. ⭐

Want to run for YESS like Gareth did? Click here!

Published on – 1st May, 2023

Staffing
Update

Message from the Chair of the Board of Trustees

After 11 years at the helm as founder and CEO of YESS Julie Bird has taken the decision to retire and will leave her role during 2023.

It is true to say she has been, and will continue to be, more than just the founder of YESS. Her leadership, enthusiasm and counsel will be missed by all those who have worked with her.

We move into 2023 with a clear set of objectives and new operational leadership. Julie’s role as CEO will be hard to fill, and therefore we have taken the decision not to try.

Going forward, from 1st April, our Clinical and Commercial Managers will absorb some of Julie’s current responsibilities, the remaining, and the overall accountability for leadership of the charity will be carried out by the new role of Charity Lead, reporting to the Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Recruitment to fill this role is currently underway.

Our service levels will remain unaffected by this change, and we will continue to deliver our usual high standard of care and commitment to all our service users through our fantastic team of therapists, counsellors and volunteers. Our values and ethos remain the same and I am confident that, with the skills and enthusiasm that our team all bring to YESS, we will be able to deliver on these in order to provide a safe space where people can safely explore their diverse mental health and well-being needs remains high.

All that remains is for me to express, on behalf of the Board of Trustees and the entire YESS family, our heartfelt thanks to Julie for her commitment enthusiasm and leadership of YESS over the last 11 years.

James Tye, Chair of the Board of Trustees

Message from Julie Bird, CEO – YESS

For the last 12 years YESS has been an integral part of my life. During this time, I have had the privilege of being supported by the most amazing set of staff and trustees that have helped YESS become the highly respected charity it is today.

I feel so honoured to have seen many therapists develop their skills during their time at YESS. We have helped so many individuals with their diverse mental health needs and offering support has been my greatest joy to see clients and families develop skills to enable them to move forward.

Therefore, after much heartache I have taken the decision to retire from this role in order to spend more time with family and friends who have supported me whilst setting up and running YESS. I feel currently that I am leaving YESS in a strong position knowing that the charity has firm plans in place for future development and growth.

The future will be very different for me moving forward, however, I am honoured to have led YESS to be the highly regarded and respected charity it is.

Published 9th January, 2023