Sellafield Ltd has invested £1.8 million into improving mental health service provision in West Cumbria through its Social Impact, Multiplied programme.
As part of the investment, a new West Cumbria Mental Health Partnership has been established and will function under the Cumbria Community Foundation’s Transforming West Cumbria programme.
The partnership was formed after Mind West Cumbria was closed in 2019, leaving a gap in mental health provision in the region.
Sellafield Ltd had initially been supporting short-term solutions to fill the support gap, before forming the partnership to provide longer term provision.
As well as providing funding for mental health services, the partnership will also be supporting community organisations in building resilience, increasing their capabilities and reaching a sustainable financial footing.
Sellafield Ltd’s community and development lead, Gary McKeating, commented: “Poor mental health is an issue that can affect all of us.
“Ensuring high quality services are available for our workforce and our community is incredibly important to us. We’re fortunate to have such a diverse range of community-based support available in West Cumbria but provision was patchy and in need of co-ordination following the closure of Mind West Cumbria.
“That’s what the partnership is all about: building a strong platform so organisations can collaborate, develop their skills, and thrive in the long term. This will be a game-changer for mental health provision in West Cumbria.”
As demand grows in the region for mental health services, the partnership is aiming to support a minimum of 2,000 individuals over three years.
Elsewhere in the country, award-winning specialist mental health service provider, Venture-People, is looking to continue to roll-out support for those with mental health needs from its base in Worthing, West Sussex.
Venture-People’s core function is to provide mental health support through a culture of therapeutic optimism, helping people live as independently as possible when experiencing and recovering from mental health problems.
Director Liam Spinks said: “Our objective is to provide a flexible, responsive and person-centred service which supports an individual’s recovery whilst maximising their independence.
“Our service is innovative in that we strive to support each individual with a unique plan, tailored to promote their autonomy and control. This is because we recognise that every person’s needs are unique and changeable over time. Every individual will be supported in creating their own plan, identifying how their distinctive outcomes will be met from our range of services.”
Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash
