Our skittles tournament came to a brilliant close on Sunday 25th of Janurary, rounding off another hugely successful and enjoyable event.

Congratulations go to Barmen, who were crowned tournament winners and took home the Sheild and £100, and to Rejects who finished as runners-up, receiving £50. Both teams played with great spirit and sportsmanship throughout the tournament.

In an incredibly inspiring gesture, both teams chose to donate their prize money back to OVSA, showing outstanding support for suicide awareness and mental health within our community. This generosity perfectly reflects what the tournament is all about — coming together, supporting one another and making a real difference.

We would like to thank everyone who took part, supported, organised and attended. Events like this highlight the strength of our community and the importance of continuing to raise awareness, reduce stigma and remind people that they are not alone.

A fantastic way to bring the tournament to a close, and we look forward to building on its success in the future.

Throughout December, OVSA brought the community together through stars of hope, month long sessions focused on light, connection and creativity.

Stars of Hope created gentle, welcoming spaces where people were able to come together to reflect, connect and share moments of hope. Whether people attended for quiet connection, meaningful conversation or uplifting creative activities, each session offered a supportive and judgement-free environment.

The programme began with Week 1: Warm Welcome & Lanterns of Hope at the Memorial Hall in Nantymoel. Participants decorated lanterns with messages of light and remembrance, creating a calm and reflective start to the month.

Week 2: Plant & Grow – Dream Seed Planting took place at Ogmore Bowls Club, where attendees wrote hopes or intentions and planted them to take home. This hands-on activity encouraged reflection on nurturing what matters most and reminded everyone that even the smallest seed of hope can grow.

The final session, Week 3: Craft & Connect – Affirmation Cards & Stars of Hope, returned to the Memorial Hall in Nantymoel. People created uplifting affirmation cards and painted clay stars to place on the Christmas tree, sharing an evening filled with kindness, creativity and connection.

Stars of Hope was a meaningful way to close the year, and we would like to thank everyone who attended and helped make the month such a positive and hopeful experience.

National Suicide Awareness Day was marked with a truly meaningful day of events and we would like to thank everyone who took part and showed their support.

The suicide awareness walk starting from Ogmore Vale life centre saw a good turnout with people coming together to walk, talk and stand in solidarity for suicide awareness and mental health. The walk created a strong sense of community, reminding us how important it is to look out for one another and to keep conversations going.

Later in the day, we were incredibly encouraged by the amazing turnout for the presentation where Danny Sculthorpe and Phil Vievers shared their powerful personal stories and insights around mental health and suicide awareness. Their honesty, openness and willingness to speak about difficult experiences had a real impact on those in attendance.

We thank everyone who came along, listened, engaged and helped create such a supportive and respectful environment.

Days like this highlight just how vital it is to continue raising awareness, reducing stigma and encouraging open conversations around mental health. Thank you to everyone who walked, attended, supported and helped make National Suicide Awareness Day such an important and impactful occasion.

Our craft and chat group continues to be a welcoming and supportive space where people can come together, get creative and enjoy open conversation without judgement.

At our latest session, everyone was working on something different — from crocheting and knitting to painting and other creative projects — creating a relaxed and friendly atmosphere where there’s no pressure and no expectations. Whether people came to focus on their craft, have a chat or simply sit quietly and listen, everyone is welcome.

Craft and chat is about more than just making things. It’s a safe space where people can talk openly, share experiences or enjoy companionship in a supportive environment where everyone is respected and accepted.

It’s always lovely to see the connections being made, the creativity flowing and the sense of community growing with each session. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make it such a positive and judgement-free space.