Question for Ashley and Admin Team - OCD Telephone Helpline

[Tez]

Hi Folks

I am putting together some resources for the organisation for which I work for our service users at Christmas. These will be made available on our website, and on a special presentation for local community radio here in Bristol on Wednesday. We just want to establish which organisations and services are open and which are closed over the Christmas and New Year holidays. I am taking it that the OCD Information Line on 0845 120 3778 will be closing on the Bank Holiday days (Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day) but open otherwise. Of course, I know the forums are always open and fully moderated so I can point people in that direction too.

If you are interested, the programme, made by the service users of the Second Step Radio Group, is called "Coping at Christmas" and goes out on community radio service Ujima FM (98.0 FM in Bristol - between Kiss-FM and BBC Radio 1 on your VHF/FM dial) on Wednesday 17th December between 12noon and 2pm.

Many thanks!

Tez

[Ashley]

I will be working every day throughout Christmas and will be logged into the phones each day, including Christmas Day. I will take a couple hours off each day to cycle, but only a couple of hours.

[Tez]

Thanks Ashley and have a Merry Christmas.

Tez

[PolarBear]

Geez Ashley. Do you ever get a break?

[Guest Charlotte]

Ashley lives and breathes OCD-UK - none of us have any idea of the huge amount of work that goes on behind the scenes!

[Tez]

Ashley is one of the unsung heroes of the mental health movement. OCD UK has been immensely beneficial to my own mental health and I rely on its Forums for support and guidance on a daily basis more or less. Even when I am well, I look in. When I am ill, it provides solace and comfort. One of my former colleagues, a Somali gentleman, once said to me "You British, you do not realise how important you are - you all do charity. Little old ladies knit teddies for the shop, or you give time to helplines. Everybody is involved". I thought that was an interesting insight. The moderators and staff of OCD-UK will be a lifeline over the holidays for anyone, myself included, who can sometimes find this time of year difficult.

Tez

[gingerbreadgirl]

Thank you Ashley from the bottom of my heart for all the work you and others do behind the scenes at OCD UK - it is literally a lifeline for many.