Mind Your Own Business is a five-year project, managed and delivered by NHS Rotherham on behalf of the Rotherham Strategic Partnership.  Its aim is to improve the mental wellbeing of Rotherham employees through targeted work with employers and increase awareness of the impact poor mental health can have in the workplace and promote positive attitudes towards employing people with a history of mental health problems.
 
It is part of Altogether Better; a regional/local collaborative programme aimed at building our region’s capacity to empower communities to improve their health and well-being.
 
Altogether Better has recruited over 12,500 Community Health Champions who have reached over 78,000 people across Yorkshire and the Humber. Champions have set up their own sport and activity groups - often involving people who have felt excluded or unable to join in before;  they are working with families and older people to share tips on how to eat good, fresh, food on a budget; they are using their own skills to lead health and art walks and they are buddying vulnerable people in our communities to take part in social events, learn to swim and to access services that will help them to stay fit and healthy and enjoy improved well-being.
 
Over 800 projects were put forward in the health category of the Nation’s Favourite Lottery Project and Altogether Better is one of 10 shortlisted for the semi-finals.  The public vote will be used to determine the top three projects to go through to the final round and have their project shown on television before going to another public vote to determine the winner.
 
The winners of each category will receive a National Lottery Award trophy and a £2,000 cash prize, to be spent on their project. The winners and runners-up will be announced on a special BBC1 show, to be televised in early November. Representatives of all projects that reach the final round will be invited to attend the event, and the winners of each category will collect their award on national television.
 
Jessica Wilson, Mental Health Promotion Specialist and Mind Your Own Business Lead, said: “Getting through to the final would be a huge thank you to the 12,500 Workplace and Community Health Champions working across Yorkshire and the Humber.  If the Altogether Better programme is to reach the televised final this would be a great opportunity to publicise both the work that is happening locally and that of the other fantastic projects across the region so I would urge everyone to please take the time to vote.”
 
Please vote for Altogether Better in one of the following ways:

• Call 0844 836 9700
• Click on the link http://www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards/best-health-project/120/
• Visit  www.altogetherbetter.org.uk  and click on the voting button 

Mind Your Own Business has recently published its annual report for 2010.   The project began in April 2008 and has engaged 104 local businesses (mainly small to medium employers) and has directly benefitted 1160 individuals.  Evaluation has demonstrated that the project is having a positive impact on people who live and work in Rotherham.
 
Jessica Wilson, added: “Research shows that work-related stress affects one in four workers and that work-related mental ill health accounts for more days off than any other cause of work related illness. By raising awareness with employers and helping them to understand the importance of good mental health and to offer better support to their staff, they will experience improved attendance and performance within their organisations.”
 
The 2010 Mind Your Own Business annual report is available on the NHS Rotherham website at:  http://www.rotherham.nhs.uk/health/mental/Mind%20Your%20Own%20Business%20Annual%20Report%202010%20print%20version.pdf