Published on: 23 June 2023

After much-deliberation we are excited to announce the winners of our Thrive Photography Competition!

We launched the competition to encourage #TeamSTSFT to showcase your images in relation to things that make you feel good and activities that help you feel less stressed. This was as part of stress awareness month 2023. 

The Thrive team have been overwhelmed with the volume of entries and the high standard – we didn’t realise we had so many buddying photographers as STSFT! It is lovely to see that we have a lot of staff embracing mindfulness. 

Firstly, we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who got involved and submitted photographs. We absolutely loved spending time going through them all, and the meaningful words submitted alongside them. It was really hard to whittle them down. The winning photograph in each category will be framed and mounted, and placed proudly in our Thrive clinic rooms. We have decided to name winners and runners up in each category. The “take notice” category in particular received a massive number of entries and therefore has more runners up. 

We also want to add, that even if you did not win your category or come runner up, your entry has not been forgotten! Due to the fantastic standard of images submitted, we’ve been asked by the communications team if we can use some of the images on Trust Comms materials such as posters, banners, wall murals and hoardings. Of course, if your image is selected to be used for something like this, we will contact you first for consent. 

During the shortlisting process, the photographs were categorised and anonymised before being viewed and compared against the entry criteria. The Thrive team then selected their (up to) top five in each category*. Those with the most votes were selected as the winners. 

*Thrive staff who had submitted entries were excluded from voting.  


Click the links below to view the winners and runners up for each category.

Category 1: Connecting with Others

Winner: Hannah Batchelor

“This photo is of two of my young alpacas - Fantomex and Coconas. As well as being much loved pets they have also benefited my mental health and alleviate stress. Their soft fuzzy fur, gentle humming noise, friendly nature and “Disney” eyes create a calm atmosphere and safe space in which you can connect with the animal, nature and yourself/emotions. Alpacas live in the moment. Alpacas walk at a pace that suits them. The 'alpaca pace' is soothing to the soul and for the time you're strolling, you really do forget your troubles, as the little bubble you're in with your alpaca buddy, really is all you need right there and then. Spending time connecting with an alpaca is something you can’t describe but must be experienced!”

 

Runner up: Shirley Perry

“The photo with the butterfly was an activity my daughter was doing. She had little caterpillars that grew then eventually turned into butterflies... this was us setting them free.”

 

Runner up: Mickey Jachuck

“Our dog (Oscar) with our cat (Peppa) - overcoming their natural instincts to be friends with each other.”

Category 2: Be Active

Winner: Pretty Dlamini

“Northumberland national park, a hike near Wedder Leap. For me, the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health has always been a big part of my life and it is a way of ensuring a well-balanced mind and keeping in Good spirit.”

 

Runner up: Ashley Mckenna 

“View of Seaham Harbour at sunrise. My view while on a cold water therapy dip with the wild sea women #womensupportingwomen.  I choose this category Be Active as I feel a dip in the sea   kick starts your day, preparing you for the next 24 hours. It also helps to reset your mind to face one day a time and promote mindfulness.”

 

Runner up: Toni Stamp

“This is a picture of Paddy Freeman boating lake at sunset, it is close to my house and lovely to walk around - it was very helpful during Covid lockdowns as for the first time in years a pair of swans had four cygnets and we could watch them grow up. I also starting running in lockdown doing the couch to 5K programme - something I never thought I would be able to do - especially at over 50! I still run now and it is lovely to see the lake as it means I am nearly home and finished!”

Category 3: Take Notice

Winner: Lauren Robinson 

“This picture was taken on a recent trip to the Lake District. My mam was still recovering from a short stay in hospital. So, it was nice to be out enjoying nature. The lake was so quiet, peaceful and calm. It was exactly what we needed at that time.”

 

Runner up: Karen Foubister

karen rotate.jpg

“The joy of here and now. For me there is a real joy in placing one foot in front of the other and this photo was taken as a gentle reminder to self of the importance of that first step. Walking in the Lake District is my 'happy place' no matter what the weather.  Taking notice, being present, using all of the senses provides a sensory & physical connection to wherever my feet take me.”

 

Runner up: Kay Hodgson

“A local Sunflower Field using a crystal ball so the image is inverted”

 

Runner up: Sally Renwick

“The Seven Sisters, Copt Hill, Houghton-le-Spring.  There are only six trees, so I decided to stand in for the 7th ????.  If you embrace it, joy can be found even in stormy weather.”

 

Runner up: Ashleigh Walton

“Photo I took at Marsden beach South Shields. Taken at Sunrise, the sun rising next to Marsden rock with its rays reflecting on the sea, clouds and beach. Part of my own wellbeing is being outside in nature, taking photographs locally at Sunrise and Sunset.”

 

Runner up: Julie Breeds

“This photograph is of me in the north sea on a cold but beautiful morning, watching the sunrise while swimming in the sea off Seaburn beach.  From the start of lockdown I decided to start sea swimming/dipping with a group of likeminded people and I still continue to do this.  This activity helps me with any stresses and is a wonderful thing which helps with my mental health, especially during lockdowns and Covid.”

 

Runner up: Olivia Batterbee

“Here is another entry for the take notice category - a rainbow on Seaham beach. This photo illustrates how important it is to ‘take notice’ - It can sometimes be easy to slip into on 'autopilot' mode, but by taking notice of my surroundings and its beauty, this makes me feel more connected to nature and less in my own thoughts."

Category 4: Learn Something New

Winner: Lauren Robinson

“On holidays in Norfolk, I recently started picking sea glass. I now do this every time I'm at the beach and love to get my family involved too. I recently went on the Sea Glass well-being walk and will be going back to find more sea glass. It was so relaxing just sitting on the beach, digging in the shingle for sea glass!”

 

Runnner up: Catherine Baldridge

“I took up painting again in lockdown having not pained since school days and learnt a new style of painting for me which is drawing with a fountain pen in ink and then adding watercolour.  I have joined some online art groups and classes and this has now become something I do a lot. I find it very helpful as a stress reliever and for mindfulness.  I also enjoy doing sketches of places I have visited in the past, so have done quite a few from previous holidays and days out. This painting is of Whitby.”

 

Runner up: Claire Smith

“Like a lot of people I took up gardening through lockdown and have continued it. I love the colours in my garden and have even bought a little greenhouse to grow the flowers from seeds. I've tried growing vegetables but think I'll leave that to my dad and stick to flowers, haha.”

Category 5: Give

Winner: Hannah Batchelor

“This my silkie chicken - wonderful Wilma - after her bath and blow dry. For me it represents kindness in many ways. She loves nothing more than being pampered and definitely appreciates the small things in life which I feel we all need to do. Also, she helps with my own mental well-being as she is very calm and loves cuddles which is great for relieving stress. Chickens are scientifically proven to reduce stress and calm the mind therefore are recognized therapy animals used to address a wide variety of issues including dementia, Alzheimer’s, sensory disorders, psychiatric illness, depression and autism.  Clea Danaan, author of Zen and the Art of Raising Chickens: The Way of the Hen, explains: ‘Chicken-watching increases our mindfulness skills.’ And as an added bonus she’s posing in a lovely bunch of flowers.”

 

Runner up: Sharon Mcdowell 

“This picture was taken in Phnom Tamao wildlife Rescue Centre, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I am a supporter of 'Free the Bears' Charity, which has a number of sanctuaries across Cambodia/Vietnam/Laos. They are an Australian charity founded by a British Lady - Mary Hutton - who was horrified to see how moon bears and sun bears were being treated to have their bile collected from the gall bladder, to be used in traditional medicines. Free the Bears works with government agencies to close bile farms and to rescue bears that are being sold in the animal trade. The bears are kept in large sanctuaries with as much access to a normal wild environment as possible. Sadly, they cannot be released as they would be captured by poachers. I donate monthly to the charity and have raised funds in a sponsored walk. Last year I was on holiday with my friends in Cambodia and I was able to spend a day at the sanctuary as a 'bear carer'. I was able to see the bears, that I had previously seen only on Free the Bears Facebook page and help prepare their food and to feed them (not face to face of course as they are still wild animals). The picture I have sent in is a moon bear enjoying a soak in the pool in the sunshine. He was so relaxed as if he had not a care in the world. Watching the bears brings me great joy despite the awful circumstances they have endured. I take great comfort knowing there are organisations with people working with them who do all they can to rescue the bears, treat them with love and kindness and provide a safe home for them for the rest of their lives.”

 

Runner up: Karen Foubister 

karen rotate coffee.jpg

“Location: Street Café. Description: ‘Self-care’. Reminder to self:  The simple act of giving yourself permission to press the pause button and ‘give’ you, exactly what you need when you need it…..sometimes it’s just the little things”

 

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