A NEWPORT organisation which helps more than 200 people a year who are affected by mental illness is encouraging sufferers to take the driving seat in their recovery.

Hafal, based at Probert Place, works to help people with serious mental illness and their families and carers to work towards recovery.

Staff from the organisation were at the Asda car park in Pill, along with staff from the Mental Health Foundation, handing out information and promoting their campaign “Taking the wheel” with a driving simulator.

The campaign encourages sufferers to take more control of their lives and the services they receive.

This will include allowing sufferers to learn from other service users about how to improve their lives and making sufferers more aware of the rights they have.

Hafal recovery practitioner, Hayley Bartlett said: "Mental illness affects one in four people and we just want people to be aware that we are here to help them."

For more information visit www.hafal.org