A MENTAL health charity blew up the balloons and blew out the candles as it celebrated its 40th birthday.

Dreamt up on a long car journey by Dr Peter Agulnik and Lord Michael Young, who also co-founded the Open University, Restore has come a long way since its 1977 beginnings.

To celebrate the milestone, the charity, based at Manzil way in East Oxford, asked its members and volunteers to bring in pictures of themselves in 1977.

They were then snapped along with the old photos, showing how they too have grown with Restore.

At the event earlier this month joint chief executive Lesley Dewhurst said: "It used to be that people felt afraid of prejudice and the fear of judgement stopped them from getting help.

"Now people feel they can be open about their mental health.

"That’s amazing news because mental health challenges affect one in four people in the UK in any one year.

"Nobody should have to struggle in silence but statutory services continue to face large funding cuts.

"Restore has been helping for 40 years and we’re ready to do more."

Over the past year Restore has supported 681 people through its six recovery groups.

It has also trained and qualified 288 workers in mental health first aid, supported 215 people to start a paid job or training and coached 121 people to stay in or find paid work.

At the heart of the charity is its recovery group work, helping people get over mental health problems.

There are six groups across the county, partnered with two companies: Bridewell Organic Gardens and Root and Branch.

Participants have a chance to take part in activities such as woodwork, gardening, cooking, customer service, ceramics, design art and crafts.

Ms Dewhurst said: "When you have a birthday, it’s a moment for reflection as much as celebration.

"Birthdays aren’t just about blowing out candles on a cake, although we’re doing plenty of that.

"Restore has been reflecting on how we can do even more to support openness about mental health, bring about a stigma-free society, and support people directly."

Volunteers at the charity take on a variety of roles from providing one-to-one employment support to members to helping them to thrive in the charity's cafes.

Volunteers also teach at Oxfordshire Recovery College, providing courses to students that are co-run by people with similar experiences of mental health.

Chairwoman of trustees, Anne James, added: "As ever, we are grateful to our volunteers and supporters for all they do to enable Restore’s vital work of shaping attitudes and directly changing lives.

"To the head of this list of people we must thank, we add the very reason we’ve been here for 40 years—our amazing members."

For more information about Restore or to volunteer visit restore.org.uk