THE leader of the Aberystwyth branch of a mental health charity was among staff who had a royal appointment this month to recognise their achievements.

Ruth Wilson, the practice leader at Hafal in Aberystwyth, was one of the staff from Welsh mental health charity Hafal who attended an exclusive reception at Buckingham Palace on World Mental Health Day on 10 October.

The invitation-only event, which celebrated the vital contribution of those working in the mental health sector in the UK, was hosted by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Henry of Wales.

Ruth was joined by other Hafal staff members, Sharon Jones, director of operations; Andrew Mulholland, compliance and quality assurance programme manager; Malcolm O’Callaghan, practice leader, Blaenau Gwent; and Denise Charles, project manager, Caniad.

Hafal’s chief executive Alun Thomas said: “We are so proud of our five staff members who were celebrated at this special event.

“Each has made a huge difference to the lives of people in Wales with a mental illness and their carers, and our members are thrilled that their dedication has been recognised.

“To have five staff members invited to the palace on World Mental Health Day is a great honour, both for the individuals themselves and for the organisation as a whole.”

Speaking at the reception Prince Harry said: “All of you helped change the language around this issue, shifting away from fear and shame, to a more open and optimistic sense about what we can achieve when we simply start talking.”

See this week’s south editions for the full story, in shops and online now