Award-winning Bognor firm in battle to survive

Frame of Mind has won three awards in its first year and is working at full capacity. The community interest company, based on the Arun Business Park of Shripney Road, offers 24 adults with mental health issues and learning disabilities the chance to learn picture framing skills.

It is so successful that a waiting list of trainees from across Sussex want to join in.

But the start-up funding from Sussex Partnership NHS Trust is due to run out next year. Founder Ian Bates said: "We were lucky the trust gave us a leg-up at the start because we had no track record."

But he stated that Frame of Mind would have to rely upon the generosity of supporters to be able to continue. It costs 250 to fund a trainee for a month.

One of the trainees who have benefited from framing pictures and cutting mounts at Frame of Mind two days a week is Chrissy Hobday.

The 22-year-old from central Bognor Regis has learning disabilities. She said: "I've been coming to Frame of Mind for six months. I love the work and I love the people. I know what I am doing when I am here and I just get on with it."

"I feel I have achieved something when I have framed a picture and I am making other people happy by doing a piece of work.

"If I wasn't here, I would just be sitting at home, doing nothing, getting absolutely bored and not feeling very happy at all."

Mr Bates founded Frame of Mind with his wife and mental health service user, Theresa. She has since become one of only 1,000 people worldwide to be awarded a Guild Commended Framer certificate.

Frame of Mind has also won the county council social enterprise innovation award and the business in the community award of the Arun Business Partnership.

Sue Morris, the executive director of Sussex Partnership NHS Trust, said: "We're enormously proud to have been involved in the development of Frame of Mind. This grew from a traditional workshop which has been transformed through the unique insight and passion that only people who have had first-hand experience of mental health services can have."

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