Following the tremendous success of extending our services into Montgomeryshire we have now been successful in obtaining nearly £250,000 to develop services over the border in South Shropshire.
Our project in South Shropshire will enable us to offer one to one befriending opportunities to people who endure mental health distress in rural communities.
We will be offering services in South Shropshire such as small, medium and large group work, training & development and exposure to culture, keep fit activities, craft group. Initially the project will provide mutual support groups that use local community facilities such as village hall, cafes, sports centre etc. alongside the befriending.
We aim to support and help adults of all ages. However, greatest experience and expertise is in providing services to older adults in the form of matching and monitoring one to one befriending and providing seated exercise groups (Fit & Fun). We will of course work closely with our members to provide person centred services that meet their needs.
The current expansion in the project design will double the original geographical area in which we operate and significantly increase the size of the mainstream population from whom we will draw our Membership.
In South Shropshire we will be developing befriending services in Ludlow, Craven Arms, Clun, Cleobury Mortimer, and Bishops Castle etc. We will not emphasise the provision of services in Ludlow where there is existing provision provided by the other third sector organisations, but aim to work in partnerships with other service providers.
To enable us to achieve our goals we will recruit members and volunteers in South Shropshire to join a steering group to assist us with developing services and meeting the needs of the people we serve. Representatives from this steering group will be invited to join our Executive Committee which meet monthly to ensure that the constitution of the organisation is maintained and to decide on strategic goals for the organisation.
We have already developed strong links with local and statutory organisations such as the Community Mental Health Teams, Sheltered Housing Schemes, GP surgeries and third sector organisations such as Severn Hospice. We will continue to develop and increase our links within the local communities with our members to provide services they are proud of and fulfil our mission of “encouraging people who endure mental health distress to lead happier, healthier more fulfilled lives”
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