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05

Dec 2021

Last Updated: 05/12/2021
Community
Community

Charity Corner: at the forefront of mental health support during covid

by Suzannah Rogerson

| 05 Dec, 2021
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This month's Charity Corner looks at the work Mind in Harrogate District does to help people struggling with their mental health. The charity says the past two years have been like no other with any people struggling to deal with the impact of lockdown.

charity-corner-mind-in-harrogate

The mental health charity Mind in Harrogate district has had two years like no other, with lockdown causing more people to reach out for additional support.

The charity is affiliated with the larger national charity Mind and was founded in 1973.

It offers counselling, a telephone befriending service and numerous group workshops for people suffering with their mental health.

The main aim of the charity is to be the place people come to if they are struggling. Its befriending and counselling services will continue throughout December although during the week between Christmas and New Year, it will only be available for telephone support.

Helen Greensit, centre development manager, said:

"Over the last two years referrals have been constant. I wouldn't say that the Christmas period has been any busier than the rest of the year but certainly there are no signs of the referrals slowing down."


This week alone the charity has received five referrals for support, which included telephone support, registration requests to join group activities and referrals to the counselling service.



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Ms Greensit also said lockdown had increased the number of people struggling with social anxiety. She said people coming to the charity were still struggling to go out because they lacked the motivation to do so.

She said:

"With covid, we have seen a lot more people struggling with loneliness and isolation. Other main reasons for referrals are depression and anxiety."


The charity has nine members of staff and numerous volunteers who help with the befriending service, which works to reach some of the most isolated in the district. Ms Greensit said:

"Within the last two years the charity has diversified in order to meet the growing needs of our community."