AN ORGANISATION dedicated to self-harm support and awareness has won the 'highest accolade a voluntary group can achieve.' 

Self-harm Awareness for All Cumbria (SAFA), on Ironworks Road, Barrow, received the King's Award for Voluntary Service. 

Chief executive officer Cindy Daltioni said: "This award is a testament to the unwavering commitment and impactful work of our entire team."Self-harm is a critical and growing issue, the group said. The largest segment of SAFA's client base are young people aged 11-19. Manifestations of self-harm include cutting, excessive social media use, over-exercising, overworking and eating disorders. 

The ceremony was held at SAFA's headquarters in Barrow with the award presented by His Majesty the King's Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria Alexander Scott. SAFA is one of only seven groups in Cumbria to receive this honour so far this year. 

Under the chair Ian Burns, the group has achieved milestones such as increasing the hours available from dedicated counsellors, reducing wait times for their clients and collecting and analysing data to confirm the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. 

The King's Award is the highest accolade that voluntary organisations can achieve in the UKThe King's Award is the highest accolade that voluntary organisations can achieve in the UK (Image: John Walton/PA Wire)

Mr Burns said: "Our small but exceptional team, led by the inspiring CEO and founder Cindy Daltioni, works tirelessly to make a profound difference in the lives of those we support. Their dedication and hard work are truly commendable."

Ms Daltioni added: "This award is a testament to the unwavering commitment and impactful work of our entire team. It underscores the importance of our mission and inspires us to continue our efforts in raising awareness and providing essential support to those affected by self-harm."

In 2019, SAFA was awarded £300,000 by the National Lottery. Last year the charity launched a project enabling people of all ages and genders to share their lived experiences and archive them in a digital library, which was presented at Cooke's Studios on Abbey Road. 

Creative director and filmmaker Lois Elizabeth talked about her role in the project. She said: “What I’ve been trying to do is create videos that reflect the person, giving people their own autonomy over their own story and how they want to portray it."