Thankfully, some of the stigma associated with having, or having family that have some form of mental illness is beginning to dissipate.

Yes, of course it often is a chronic illness that requires ongoing attention, but how many other chronic illnesses do people have in other parts of their bodies, minus the stigma?

After spending many years at Bloomfield Hospital as Catholic Chaplain, I was able to learn a great deal from the patients and the ways they managed their lives and families.

About 40 years ago some dedicated people set up the Bloomfield Hospital Branch of United Hospital Auxiliaries as a way of providing ways and means of enhancing and facilitating the care and wellbeing of the patients.

Along the way this also included Riverside Centre for intellectually handicapped people when it was taken out of Mental Health management.

However, since its closure we have reverted simply to the Bloomfield Hospital Branch Whether it be for an individual, or for an entire unit, there are procedures in place to ensure that our people are not neglected or suffering needlessly.

Over the years we have provided things like table tennis set ups, assistance for anger management programs with punching bags, bicycles, and helmets to go with them, art and craft supplies, sensory gardens, a companion dog, goldfish pond, chicken coop and veggie garden, and many personal effects, just to name a few that come to mind.

Both Christmas and Easter are important emotional times for our people, and the Auxiliary provides Easter Eggs or Bunnies for everyone, and at Christmas we give a donation of $30 per person so that everyone can receive a present aided and assisted by the ward staff.

These events are costly, and our biggest fund raiser has been the Giant Raffle which usually gets under way at this time of year.

With the generous help of local businesses and individuals we have always had wonderful prizes donated, and assistance with the sale of tickets.

With the social distancing and fears of contagion as well as the uncertainty as to how long this pandemic will continue, we have taken the decision to cancel the "Giant" for this year, and hope that people's generosity and kindness will enable those who can to make cash donations for this worthy cause.

Correspondence has just gone out to many supporters to bring them up to date, and we are confident that the people of Orange and surrounding towns will not abandon us in this difficult time.

Our companion branch at the Orange Hospital is still trying to survive too, with the kiosk only able to open for limited times.

Many people have thought that there was only one branch of UHA in Orange, but now you know there are two of us, and both trying to survive through the difficult times.

Hopefully, there will be good and safe times ahead for all of us.