Following a workshop on 'Employment and Mental Health' that took place on the 11th August 2008, Gail Golding of Brent User Group made the following comments:

"I also just again wanted to thank you for yesterday. I think it was a delightful day and I certainly know from the feedback I received that people were really appreciative of the content of the day. Also the amount of work you put in. People felt they got a lot from it and certainly reading through the evaluation sheets I hope that, like me, you picked up just how much people did gain from yesterday's workshop. So a huge 'thank you', I think it was an excellent day and I liked the relaxed and yet fun/serious tone that you were able to put onto it."

This was the first time I'd worked with Brent User Group and it's worth mentioning that although I am based in the South West, I'm more than happy to travel to London and beyond.

" James Wooldridge has been one of the most influential trainers that HUBB has engaged. He has worked with us on stigma and discrimination issues, but his main forte is recovery work.

As someone who has experienced mental distress, he has the ability to communicate well with both service users and people who work in health and social care. His authentic approach influences the most fixed opinions, and his easy manner promotes fruitful discussions. His sense of humour keeps training sessions both alive and grounded. He is one of the most approachable people we have met.

James has helped HUBB to host a major recovery workshop in our area, and has followed up that work with collaborative training sessions directly to teams.

He is always thorough in the preparation phase of any training, and is imaginative with the training materials he uses. James has also researched his subjects well, and leaves the audience with useful references for follow-up. He has created bespoke reference folders for teams to allow the recovery work to continue long after the training.

HUBB can recommend James as a trainer, and we wish him well in his endeavours."

Jenny Gray, HUBB Director

"James has worked with me at Rethink as a co-facilitator since 2005. In that two and a half years James has proved a really supportive colleague to everyone within the training team.

His presentations are peppered with humour, coupled with the kind of serious messages about his experiences living with a diagnosis, that make audiences sit up and think as well as laugh and smile. His candour and willingness to engage in question and answer sessions adds enormously to the learning outcomes of the various audiences we’ve presented to, from medical students to trainee psychiatrists.

Time and again, In initial feedback from participants, they identify James' contribution as the best thing about the session – almost exclusively."

Jo Loughran
Head of Mental Health Promotion
Rethink

Delivering a talk on Recovery for the Grantham Bipolar Group in December 2007;

"I really enjoyed the presentation that James gave about his recovery or experiences that he has had during his illness. I liked his manner – calm, relaxed and humorous and his presentation was visual which I find is often thought provoking in itself. I also enjoyed the fact that he had a positive experience of Occupational Therapy which as a student I can take back after my placement and share with my peers. (We must do more with lentils!!)


I will certainly pass his details on to my colleagues. "


Gail Weldon – Occupational Therapy student – Coventry University