A Blyth-based not-for-profit organisation has had its achievements recognised by a prestigious business awards programme.
Blyth Star Enterprises, has been shortlisted in the Heart of the Community category at the Tyneside and Northumberland regional final of the North East Business Awards.
Established in 1987, the registered charity provides living support, sheltered work experience and day services to over 300 people across the North East living with learning disabilities and lifelong mental health issues.
Gordon Moore, chief executive officer at Blyth Star Enterprises, said:
“Blyth Star Enterprises was founded by a group of parents and carers with the aim of developing local services in the community for those suffering with lifelong mental health and or learning disabilities over 30 years ago.
“In that time, we have seen many changes within the health and social care sector, but our focus has remained on providing the highest possible level of care to our service users.
“We’re absolutely delighted to be shortlisted in the Heart of the Community category at this year’s North East Business Awards.
“To have had the achievements of our organisation recognised alongside major businesses on a regional scale is a real honour.”
With a focus on rehabilitation, Blyth Star Enterprises mission is to help people living with mental ill health and or learning disabilities to live as independently as they possibly can within their local communities.
The charity delivers this through recovery focused care and innovative day services which emulate real working environments.
The Stakeford Nurseries and the Woodfuel Centre provide sheltered work environments for over 160 disabled service users while also helping to give back to the community in the form of mobile gardening services, fresh garden produce and sustainable wood products.
“Many people living with severe and enduring mental health problems and learning disabilities often feel isolated from society,” Gordon added.
“Through the provision of sheltered work experience in place of traditional day services, we are actively helping to reconnect service users with their local communities while also providing valuable life experiences and transferable skills.”
Amy Taylor, regional events manager at Trinity Mirror, said:
“The North East Business Awards are the biggest of their kind and aim to toast success, celebrate achievement and highlight the fact that we have a great deal of hard-working, innovative people doing fantastic things right here in the North East. We are delighted that Blyth Star Enterprises have been shortlisted in our Heart of the Community category for 2018 and wish them the best of luck.”
The awards ceremony, which takes place at the Marriott Hotel, Gosforth Park on Thursday 22 February will see business people from across a wide spectrum of North East industries come together to celebrate the good work that is happening across the region.
Fellow businesses on the shortlist for the Heart of the Community Award include decorative paints and coatings manufacturer, AkzoNobel Ashington and Tyneside-based engineering firm, Reece Group.