Member Article

Lord Lieutenant presents Leeds-based Phoenix Health and Wellbeing with Queen’s Award for Enterprise

Leeds social enterprise Phoenix Health and Wellbeing has been presented with one of the UK’s most prestigious business awards by Ed Anderson, Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire at a ceremony in the historic Leeds Library. The Charity heard that it has been recognised for its outstanding commitment to sustainable development back in April but due to the pandemic has had to wait until now to be presented with the business accolade. Phoenix Health and Wellbeing was amongst just 17 organisations from across the UK to have been personally chosen by Her Majesty The Queen to receive the award for its outstanding commitment to sustainable development.
Commenting on their remarkable success, Phoenix Health and Wellbeing’s founder Gill Trevor said: “The wait was certainly worth it! We have been on such a high since we found out that we had won the award and now we actually have our hands on the certificate signed by Her Majesty and the Prime Minister and the rose bowl, we all feel another wave of positivity. Receiving this fantastic endorsement makes all the effort we have put into developing our sustainable social enterprise so worthwhile, it has had a huge impact on the business. “Demand for our services has grown considerably and we are expanding the number of clinics we run to meet this demand. So far this year we have provided mental health support for over 400 people, that’s the highest number of referrals we’ve had since we launched in 2013. “We are also extending our ear acupuncture clinics as there has been a marked increase in the number of men with prostate cancer coming to us for support and early in the New Year we will be starting a pain recovery trial for people who have suffered severe emotional trauma.”
Based in Park Place, Leeds, Phoenix Health and Wellbeing is a registered charity that provides wellbeing support to people who have chronic health issues and low incomes. It helps people with depression and anxiety or physical conditions such as chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease and forms of cancer. Local medical and healthcare professionals refer people to the charity whose staff, therapists and volunteers provide counselling, massage and acupuncture. This support is funded by providing the same services to the general public and workplace wellbeing services to local employers who pay the market rate with proceeds going to the charitable fund. For every £10 someone spends with the charity, £4 goes towards funding treatments for local people who couldn’t normally afford these services. Gill left a successful career in marketing and business planning with O2 to retrain in wellbeing therapies after a family member became unwell. She completed a Diploma in massage, reflexology and aromatherapy, and then in 2009 she went on to complete her Reiki levels 1, 2 and Masters. After volunteering for several years at St Gemma’s Hospice and seeing first-hand the positive impact of complementary therapies, Gill gathered a team of highly experienced Trustees, counsellors and therapists and established Phoenix Health and Wellbeing.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lucy Carey .