ANEURIN Bevan University Hospital Board employees have been recognised for their work with mentally ill patients.

The Recovery Through Sport scheme involves running an all-inclusive sports club for people with mental illness.

The idea is to use sport to help tackle loneliness and to improve the patient's physical fitness - something that can be tricky while taking certain medication.

Exercise also has the beneficial side effect of improving a person's confidence.

The scheme has produced a football team and Wales’s first ever walking rugby club.

Local sports clubs such as Gwent Dragons Rugby Club and Abergavenny Town Football Club are invovled in the scheme.

The Recovery Through Sport team, comprised of Kevin Hale and Dorian Wood, have won the Nursing Support Worker RCN Nursing Award for their efforts.

The pair are also responsible for securing kit for the patients and have forged links with older adult and learning disability teams.

Mr Hale said: "This award means so much to us as we have worked hard to provide a sporting programme that is easily accessible to everyone, not just people with poor mental health.

"It will help to end the stigma sometimes associated with people with mental health issues.

"The whole team in Forensic Psychiatry is supportive of our Recovery Through Sport programme, so this accolade is fantastic for everyone."