Cash boost for mental health charity
A local mental health charity has been given thousands of pounds to help run its peer support service.
Mindspace has been awarded almost £139,000 in National Lottery funding, and the charity says it will use this cash to provide peer support to those living with mental health challenges, both in the city and in rural areas of Perth and Kinross.
Mindspace, which is based on York Place in Perth, has been running for nearly 40 years and its peer support hub started work in 2017.
The hub is the latest addition to its services, which also includes a recovery college and a counselling service for adults and young people.
Kelly Gilmour, peer support development worker at Mindspace, said: “We’re so excited that the National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way.
“Now, thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to develop our reach of the peer support hub in Perth and also in rural areas.
“This is important because it means many more people will receive the help and support they need, where they need it.”
At Mindspace, peer support workers provide side-by-side support to those with mental health challenges.
These workers are fully trained and accredited, having completed Mindspace’s professional development award in mental health peer support, run in partnership with Perth College.
They will be able to use their own personal experience of mental ill health to support others to identify their strengths, overcome perceived barriers to their recovery, and achieve their goals.
The funding will also allow the charity to increase its connections with other support organisations in the area, including providing peer support at Murray Royal Hospital.
Jillian Milne, CEO on Mindspace, said: “We are delighted that the National Lottery is funding our peer support hub.
“This will allow us to maintain and develop our highly valued and accredited peer support work.
“We look forward to working with the National Lottery and our other project funders - the Gannochy Trust, Forteviot Trust and the Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership - in taking this work forward.”