Recent grants amounting to £169,686 have been awarded to ten community and voluntary groups across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, in an effort to provide further support and resources for adults with mental health issues.
The funding has been made available as part of the Community Mental Health Transformation Programme in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent; aimed at providing effective care and support for adults living with severe mental illness.
Liz Mellor, Director of Strategy and Partnerships, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “Our ongoing grant programme will give us even more chance to join up with local organisations and support the delivery of inclusive, accessible and responsive services to support adults with severe mental illness.”
The first round of recipients are as follows:
North Staffordshire
- Veteran Support Network CIC – ‘Veteran Art Recovery’ will host tutor-led training and art recovery sessions, wellbeing sessions and links to a community allotment
- British Ceramics Biennial – the ‘ReCast’ programme will combine creativity, clay and substance misuse recovery delivered by local artists within a series of workshops.
- Walk Ministries – a support worker will be employed to aid newly released prisoners
- Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffs Theatre Trust Ltd – a 30-week, expert citizen co-designed theatre programme will be developed
- Restoration Shack – funding will secure employment of two part-time staff members to deliver restoration, up-cycling and furniture making activities
- The Grange Fishing Club – a ‘talking’ hub will be acquired in Dingle Park
Southern Staffordshire
- Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles – a rehabilitation programme centred around cycling for people who have suffered with addiction will be developed
- Staffordshire Network for Mental Health – funding will support the ‘Toolbox for the Services’ project to help ex-service personnel to improve their mental health and to reduce loneliness and isolation
- Cherishers 811 CIC – support services will be provided over a six-month period, including access to art, green and talking therapy plus lunch clubs.
- Princess Street Training and Enterprise Centre – various sessions will be funded on topics such as healthy cooking and healthy minds, providing resources for key/support workers
Steve Adams, Chief Executive of The Community Foundation, commented: “We are delighted to be working with North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust and Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust to target and help adults across the county. Voluntary and community organisations are fantastic at engaging with those usually hard to reach people, and it’s wonderful to see that reach utilised.”
