Praxis Care celebrates 21 years in town

Praxis Care recently marked its 21st anniversary of providing mental health services in Lurgan.
Craigavon Mayor, Cllr Mark Baxter at the Praxis Care, 21st Anniversary event in Craigavon Civic Centre with, Stanley McGoldrick, Lurgan project manager, Karen Harding, acting manager, Mary Clarke, assistant director and Joe O'Neill, Portadown project manager. INLM40-115gcCraigavon Mayor, Cllr Mark Baxter at the Praxis Care, 21st Anniversary event in Craigavon Civic Centre with, Stanley McGoldrick, Lurgan project manager, Karen Harding, acting manager, Mary Clarke, assistant director and Joe O'Neill, Portadown project manager. INLM40-115gc
Craigavon Mayor, Cllr Mark Baxter at the Praxis Care, 21st Anniversary event in Craigavon Civic Centre with, Stanley McGoldrick, Lurgan project manager, Karen Harding, acting manager, Mary Clarke, assistant director and Joe O'Neill, Portadown project manager. INLM40-115gc

The Mayor of Craigavon, Councillor Mark Baxter, and the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Colin McCusker, were joined by service users, staff and friends at a luncheon event in the Craigavon Civic Centre to mark the event.

Praxis Care, registered as a charity in 1983, is a major provider of services for adults and children with a learning disability, mental ill health, acquired brain injury and for older people, including people with dementia.

The project in Lurgan provides accommodation and support services to individuals with mental health problems. The project consists of 21 units in the Lurgan area. The aim of the service is to enable people with severe and enduring mental health problems to live independently in the local community.

The staff provides support to the individuals through visits at different times throughout the week where they assist each of them in daily living activities such as cooking, shopping and provide a listening ear. The Praxis Care staff team works closely with the local community mental health team based at Trasna house in Lurgan and the local Housing Executive.

The event was also attended by the chairman of Praxis care, Ken Brundle who spoke briefly at the event. Ken presented an award to one service user who joined the project at the beginning in 1992.

Stanley McGoldrick, Manager of Praxis Care, Lurgan Projects said: “Praxis Care provides a vital support service to the service users in the Lurgan project. We continue to work in partnership with Supporting People, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the Southern Health and Social Care Trust and a variety of local agencies to meet the needs of people with mental illness living independently in the community. 

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff team for their work and commitment to the scheme over the years. We look forward to continuing our work in the future.”