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Young people’s mental health service in Somerset celebrated this World Mental Health Day

The Space is delighted to receive support for our services from the National Lottery Community Fund and to be honored to be highlighted in their recent press release. We are proud to be part of an amazing group of 99 community groups helping young people to improve their mental well-being.

The press release in full:

Young people’s mental health service in Somerset celebrated this World Mental Health Day

This World Mental Health Day, The National Lottery Community Fund is celebrating those community groups helping to improve mental health and wellbeing.
Since the start of the first lockdown*, The National Lottery Community Fund has distributed over £3.5m to 99 community groups in Somerset.
In total, the funder has distributed over £438 million to almost 9,000 projects across the UK supporting mental health and wellbeing*.

This World Mental Health Day (10th October), The National Lottery Community Fund is highlighting the positive impacts that charities and community groups in Somersetare having on mental health and wellbeing support.

Since the commencement of the first national lockdown on 26th March 2020, The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK, has distributed over £3.5m to 99 projects in Somerset which help to support mental health and wellbeing in their communities.

In total, over £438 million has been distributed to almost 9,000 projects across the UK that are providing wellbeing support – many of which have seen a huge increase in demand since the beginning of the pandemic.

Research carried out by mental health charity, Mind, earlier this year, shows that 80% of adults aged over 25 experienced mental distress during or before the COVID-19 pandemic, while as much as 88% of young people experienced the same feelings.

Furthermore, two thirds (65%) of adults and more than two thirds (68%) of young people with mental health problems said they felt worse since the first national lockdown.

The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day is ‘Mental Health in an Unequal World’, with much of the spotlight placed on those marginalised communities worldwide whose mental health has been disproportionately affected by the inequalities laid bare by the pandemic.

The Space in Cheddar is just one of the many local groups that has stepped up to tackle mental health challenges in these communities during this challenging time.

It has been awarded £40,000 of National Lottery funding to continue their work addressing young people’s mental health needs and delivering a range of preventive intervention services.

Doreen Smith, Operations Director at The Space, said:

“Our National Lottery funding not only has enabled us to expand our counselling team to help build resilience in even more children and young people but we were able to offer a really exciting summer programme of activities and continue with our very popular youth club.

“The feedback from the young people who took part and their parents/carers was fantastic! It is clear that not only did young people’s confidence and self esteem increased but their general well-being.”

Rowan Miller, Head of Funding for the South West at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding is making a difference in Somerset, and across the UK, helping to tackle mental healthchallenges that have only worsened during the pandemic.

“Good mental health is vital if we are to see communities prosper and thrive, so it’s heartening to see so many groups and volunteers dedicated to supporting others, and particularly those in marginalised communities, to improve their mental wellbeing.”

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players for good causes. National Lottery players raise £36 million each week for good causes throughout the UK*. Thanks to National Lottery players, last year we awarded over half a billion pounds (£588.2 million) of life-changing funding to communities across the UK. Over eight in ten (83%) of our grants are for under £10,000 – going to grassroots groups and charities across the UK that are bringing to life amazing ideas that matter to their communities.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk