Residents, together with current and former staff, came together this week to celebrate a special milestone as Downpatrick’s Slievegrane Supported Living facility marked its 25th anniversary. The event reflected on the facility’s history and the positive impact it has made in the lives of tenants over the past 25 years.
Slievegrane was one of the first supported living facilities to be rolled out in the South Eastern Trust. It provides accommodation for individuals living with mental illness, offering recovery-focused support plans tailored to each tenant’s needs.
Through the expertise of a highly skilled multi-disciplinary team, tenants are supported to maximise their independence in everyday activities such as maintaining their home, shopping, cooking, budgeting, personal care and developing structure to their daily lives. The service is responsive to both short-term and long-term goals, supporting individuals to move from hospital care to living confidently in the community.
Robert Magee, one of the first tenants to move into Slievegrane, said, “I have really enjoyed my time living in Slievegrane, the staff are just wonderful. Living here has given me my independence back, it has really made a difference to my life.”
Michelle McCann, who has lived in Slievegrane for over a year, added, “Living here has really helped me with my confidence, I am now able to do so much more for myself. Before I moved here, I would have been questioning myself a lot, but I am now feeling so much more confident. The staff in Slievegrane are amazing and they have helped me so much. I have also had the opportunity to meet new people which has been great. Slievegrane is now my home.”
South Eastern Trust Assistant Director of Community Mental Health Services, Fiona Dagg, who attended the celebrations, stated, “It is absolutely amazing to be celebrating 25 years of Slievegrane. This supported living scheme has made such a difference in the community and it is wonderful to be here to celebrate with everyone. Slievegrane is an amazing home where people can live, it’s a ‘real home’ for our tenants and it also provides the opportunity for people to move into the community and live independently.”
Manager of Slievegrane, Christopher Lowry, commented, “Slievegrane provides a supported living facility for 26 tenants and it was one of the first to be rolled out in the South Eastern Trust. It is a real home from home for the tenants and it really makes a difference to the lives of everyone who lives here.”
