What a difference a day makes

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This year’s forensics festival “Lodgefest” took huge strides in breaking down barriers, between staff and service users, and across our entire secure estate.

For the first time ever, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s festival was open to people from both our low and medium secure units as well as our secure learning disabilities unit.

There was a 5-a-side football tournament in the morning with teams made up of staff and service users and activities in the afternoon including a rodeo bull, face painting, coconut shy, acoustic open mic tent, a barbeque and curry.

Acting ward manager Trevor Jones said, “Now in its seventh year, the Lodgefest event really helps to break down barriers between staff and patients in a fun filled environment, and we also ‘break down’ the physical barriers of being in a secure unit by using the internal grounds space in a more relaxed manner. The service users really look forward to the events and work on ideas and activities for the stalls beforehand.

“A secure unit can feel quite restrictive for our service users and Lodgefest helps people feel much more freedom. The  ignites a huge amount of involvement and motivation in the people we look after here which is really important in a therapeutic environment.  The relationships that are built between the service users and staff in the build up and on the day have a really positive impact on the rehabilitation process.”

Service users had plenty of positive feedback about the event:

“Thanks for today. Today has proved to me that staff really do care about us”.

“Today has been the best day I have had in years. I completely forgot that I was in a secure unit, and it has just felt like a day out with my mates. Thank you!!”

What a difference a day makes

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