Heartfelt thanks to support volunteer Mike

WELL done . . . Mike Levins (centre) recieves the certificate from Barry Haslam (left) and Keith Holloway

A dedicated support worker who helps dozens of former psychiatric patients and prescription drug addicts has been officially recognised for 30 years of voluntary service.

Mike Levins was presented with a framed certificate of thanks, yesterday at a meeting of the Tranx support group.

Mr Levins, from Aster Street, Oldham, has been a voluntary worker with SHIELD, which helps psychiatric patients, for 30 years.

He has also helped prescription drugs addicts who used the Tranx support group for 20 years.

The presentation, by Keith Holloway, commissioning manager for NHS Oldham, became a reunion at the Rock Street Resource Centre, with grateful service users travelling from as far as Liverpool and Staffordshire.

Mike was also presented with an inscribed tankard by Barry Haslam, chairman of Tranx.

Barry’s wife Sue Haslam, said: “Mike has brought sunshine back into lots of people’s lives.”

Mike (75) began his nursing career at Birch Hill Hospital, Rochdale, but it was during national service that he realised his vocation.

He was placed at a psychiatric ward at Catterick where he said he worked with great staff and gained valuable experience.

When he finished, he came to Oldham as a psychiatric nurse at the Oldham and District General Hospital, and also took teaching qualifications, becoming a psychiatric nurse tutor before he retired 20 years ago.

He became involved with SHIELD, which stands for Self Help for Everyday Life’s Difficulties, set up 30 years ago for patients and past patients, and is still going strong.

For 20 years, Mike has been an adviser to Tranx. Both groups meet at the Rock Street Resource Centre.