Rethink Mental Illness, a charity that supports people affected by severe mental illness, has been awarded nearly £75,000 to help improve facilities and create employment opportunities at John Hall Wellness Garden in Staffordshire.
The vital service provides care, help and advice for 300 people at the Leek-based garden. Residents can access one-on-one support from mental health workers, peer support groups and wellbeing activities such as gardening, art and yoga.
In total the charity was awarded £74,936 from the Community Fund. The charity will be using the grant to build a brand-new classroom to host local initiatives, reducing isolation and building social connections within the community.
In addition to the new classroom, the funding will help to establish a community café. Staff will support and train 12 people severely affected by mental illness to run the café, giving them critical employment skills that will help them to secure future employment. A garden maintenance team will also be set up, training another 12 people.
Michaila Tope, Head of Community Services at Rethink Mental Illness, said: “We know that there are lower rates of employment among people living with severe mental illness. The new community café and garden maintenance team will help provide individuals with essential skills to secure work, positively benefitting their mental health into the future. On the other hand, social isolation can pose a threat to mental health, and the new classroom will provide a space for local residents to come together.
“Thanks to this generous funding we’ll be able to build on success at John Hall Wellness Gardens and ensure it can be a hub for the community, supporting local people with their mental health and wellbeing.”
One in four people will experience mental illness each year, and 87 per cent of people experiencing severe mental illness face stigma and discrimination that negatively impacts their lives.
Rethink Mental Illness works to improve the lives of people severely affected by mental illness through its network of local groups and services, expert information and successful campaigning. Its goal is to make sure everyone severely affected by mental illness has a good quality of life.
Jade Gough, Severn Trent Community Fund Officer, said: “Rethink Mental Illness provides such an amazing service at John Hall Wellness Garden and the plans to create a new centre and bring the whole community together are wonderful.
“The new facility will be a fantastic addition to the gardens, providing services and activities to people that really need it and will benefit from them as well.
“We are always looking for more local projects in the regions in which we work which would benefit from grant funding and would encourage anyone who may be applicable to get in touch.”
For more information on the Severn Trent Community Fund and to find out how to make an application visit stwater.co.uk and search for Community Fund.
