Manchester wellbeing advocate honoured at cross-communal womens’ event

A Jewish mental health advocate has been honoured for her work by a community project in Bury dedicated to women’s empowerment and inclusion.

The B.A.M.E project (Believe,  Achieve, Maintain, Exceed) held ‘Wonder Women’ awards to recognise women in the Manchester borough for their contributions towards the diverse community.

Mental health advocate Kate Lurie won the ‘Woman in Health & Medical sector’ award (one of 10 categories) in  recognition for the contribution she has made in the Jewish community as project manager for Jewish Action for Mental Health (JAMH). She was nominated by Susan Isaacs from JCFT (Jewish Community Foundation Trust).

Following the news of a suicide by a young person from the Manchester Jewish community in January 2019, Lurie was instrumental in creating the organisation, which has provided free counselling and therapy to over 500 people from ages 9-98 since March 2020.

On receiving the award, Kate said: ‘I’m happy that through my work, I am truly changing people’s lives’.

The judging panel included deputy mayor Sandra Walmsley, Bury VFCA (volunteering and development support) chief executive Helen Tomlinson and Bury council chief executive Lynne Ridsdale.

Organiser of the event, Cllr Ummrana Farooq, deputy cabinet member for communities at the council and the founder of the B.A.M.E Project, said she wanted to celebrate how women are bettering the communities they live in.