A leading mental health organisation has helped projects across Northumberland to offer more support by securing £134,000 in NHS funding through its Voluntary, Charitable, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Mental Health Alliance.
Everyturn Mental Health is being facilitated by NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) to fund grassroots projects and help local people with their mental health recovery.
Since 2021, the Alliance has created a network of over 80 charities, organisations, and people who have provided mental health support to their communities across the county. Organisations across the region can benefit from the scheme which is awarded by a grant process.
Organisations supported by the Alliance include Cycling Minds, a charity that helps young adults through outdoor exercise, Project Aasha, a safe and inclusive space for people from ethnically diverse communities at risk of social isolation, and Northern Butterflies, an initiative that provides innovative art workshops for people with a learning disability or who are experiencing mental ill-health.
Toby Price, Founder of Cycling Minds said: “The VCSE funding was crucial for Cycling Minds, as it was part of the start-up funding, we needed to get up and running. It funded some of our staff costs enabling our General Manager to work full time on finding volunteers, setting up and opening The Link community cycle hub and launching our charitable programmes.
“We are very grateful to the panel for putting their faith in our project and to the Everyturn team who have supported us over the last year.”
The VCSE alliance is part of the NHS’s Community Mental Health Transformation programme for Northumberland and is facilitated by Everyturn’s Northumberland Recovery College – which links smaller local charities with the NHS so that funding, training, and expertise can be provided where needed.
Adam Crampsie, Chief Executive Officer for Everyturn Mental Health, said: “We’re very proud of the work that has been supported through the VCSE Mental Health Alliance in Northumberland. By using our position and close partnership with the ICB and the NHS, we have been able to facilitate some incredible programmes and projects on a postcode level to provide much-needed support to unreached communities.
“By connecting and working with some inspiring organisations and individuals, who make a difference to their communities across Northumberland, has shown just how important it is to get funding and support to the right places.
“As we develop our work as the VCSE lead for mental health across the North East, we are looking forward to continuing our work with the NHS and ICBs and help deliver improved community mental health for everyone.”
Levi Buckley, Executive Area Director at NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB, said: “Good mental health is important to everyone, and many more of us have needed a helping hand since the disruption and difficulties of the Covid-19 years.
“Smaller local projects can often change people’s lives in a way that clinical services cannot, and it’s wonderful to see the enthusiasm, energy and creativity of our local organisations helping to support our community mental health transformation work.”
