OPPORTUNITIES for people in Okehampton with mental health difficulties have been boosted with the official opening of the Castle Bell Project?s new premises.

The Castle Bell Project ? which was developed after the success of Bell Industries in Exeter, has now moved into new premises in the Exeter Road Industrial Estate at Okehampton.

The project became a reality two years ago and started with three clients, operating from the old Castle Hospital in Okehampton. It began as an offshoot of Bell Industries which gives service users the confidence and skills to move into employment in the community effectively and confidently.

The project offers sheltered workshops and training opportunities for people with mental health difficulties. Initial work included packing mechanical parts for tractors and gas burners.

The opening ceremony was jointly performed by the mayor of Okehampton, Christine Marsh, and chief executive of Devon Partnership Trust, Valerie Howell, last Tuesday.

Robert Nunney, who helped set up Bell Industries 13 years? ago, came up with the idea of an offshoot project accessible to people in the Okehampton area which did not require them to travel to Exeter.

Much hard work followed and after contacting local businesses and with the support of the trust, the idea was able to get off the ground.

Mr Nunney is keen to develop this project further and his aspirations include setting up a network of such projects, which could help others in more remote settings.

He said: ?Work and mental health go together like peaches and cream. It has been shown that helping people get back to work and develop confidence in their skills can help their mental health.

?Work provides people with the motivation to get up in the morning and move forward.

?We have had fantastic support from people in the local community.?

?However, in order to develop further and increase the number of people that we can support, we still need additional help and are always on the lookout for new work contracts, financial support and equipment.

?Now that we have our permanent base we will be able to offer much more stability and hope that as a result we will win more contracts of work.

?Our thanks go to all of those people and businesses which have given us support in the last two years and we look forward to many more years of fruitful partnerships.?