The Maudsley Charity, which supports South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London – announces funding for projects in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark.
The Maudsley Charity is the largest NHS mental health charity in the UK, and exists to support patients, carers, clinical teams and scientists working towards improving mental health.
The Community and Connection funding scheme aims to fund projects that make a positive contribution to the lives of people experiencing or recovering from severe mental illness, and benefit people who face additional social or economic disadvantage. Maudsley Charity funding goes above and beyond core NHS funding to provide additional or enhanced services.
Talking about the funding commitment, Maudsley Charity Chief Executive, Rebecca Gray said:
“We are committed to supporting those people in most need and backing better mental health for all. COVID-19 has highlighted the high levels of inequality and mental illness that exist in south London. These grants will help those that face multiple disadvantage and we are proud to be supporting work that will make a genuine difference to people’s lives at such a difficult time.”
The projects funded are shown below, with a list of the boroughs they serve:
Bethlem Men’s Shed (Croydon, Bromley – Bethlem Royal Hospital)
The Bethlem Community Men’s Shed was established to promote Men’s Health through occupation. It is part of a growing Men’s Shed movement both nationally and internationally, recognising the need and benefits for men to maintain their health especially at times of inactivity. The project is unique in the NHS, offering the service to hospital inpatients and those living in the community. The project aims to provide a safe, friendly space for participants to enjoy working with wood, learning and sharing practical and life skills experiences, that make a positive difference to health and wellbeing. Read more
Croydon Women’s Hub (Croydon)
Women in Prison’s services offer safe and homely spaces for women who have had contact with criminal justice services to access gender-specialist support services. Funding will develop their Croydon hub service to offer more structured community activities for women in Croydon following hospital admission.
Hear Us (Croydon)
Hear Us provides expert advice and guidance to support people with severe and enduring mental health conditions to apply for benefits and other entitlements both directly and with Hear Us representing the person where necessary. The project encourages people to ‘do it for themselves’ where they can, using peer support and welfare surgeries, so they can grow in self-confidence and skills to maintain their health and well-being.
Maudsley Charity funding will enable welfare surgeries to tackle immediate crisis, empower beneficiaries to become less socially isolated and support skills development so people can reach their goals. Read more
Re:Surface (Croydon, Bromley – Bethlem Royal Hospital)
For many people who have been on an inpatient mental health ward, being discharged back to the community can be a time which challenges self-confidence and self-worth. Re:Surface is a therapeutic vocational arts project which supports individuals to gain a better sense of identity through the art of craft.
With a specific focus on surface design and the transferability of printmaking to ceramics, participants will use imagery from their recovery stories to adorn a vibrant collection of ceramic wares, showcasing their ability and skills. Read more
Workshops for parents (Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark)
Parents and carers of young people can experience high levels of stress, burnout and challenges in their relationships with their children.
Maudsley Charity funding will enable this project to trial new ways of delivering innovative, information and skills support workshops for parents and carers of young people who are being treated by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust services.
High quality, specialist, evidence-based education and skills training are rarely available for parents and carers, who have frequently highlighted the need for this support when their children are referred to mental health services.
Arts Network (Lambeth, Southwark)
Through Maudsley Charity funding Arts Network will be expanding its existing service to offer an innovative and engaging arts programme to Lambeth and Southwark residents, using creative activities to support people with mental ill health.
Through the programme they aim to help up to 200 people to increase their self-confidence, build new relationships and develop new skills, which will help participants access volunteering and training opportunities.
Cannabis and Mental health: Learning from your peers (Lambeth, Southwark)
The project will support young adults living in Lambeth and Southwark who are suffering their first episode of psychosis and currently using cannabis.
It will develop and run regular peer group sessions facilitated by mentors with lived experience of both psychosis and cannabis use, to support people to achieve a significant reduction/cessation of their cannabis use.
Evidence shows that reducing or stopping cannabis use leads to a significant improvement not only in symptoms, but also in social functioning, helping people to return to education or and employment.
Digi-Inclusion (Lambeth)
This additional funding follows funding by Maudsley Charity to establish this service in 2018/19. Digi Inclusion is a community programme working with service users in Lambeth to address the lack of access to digital resources in today’s online and digital world.
With a focus on education and vocational skills, the project offers group workshops, and one-to-one support, with access to iPads. Benefits are wide ranging and include better employment prospects, independence, connectedness and self-confidence. Digi Inclusion is led by peers that are confident in digital problem solving and teaching in a way that is responsive to people’s mental health and well-being. Read more
Samaritans in the Community – Outreach, Partnership and Engagement (Lewisham, Greenwich and Southwark Samaritans)
Support from The Maudsley Charity will enable the project to rebuild and strengthen all aspects of their outreach programme, following suspension during the COVID 19 crisis and its after-effects. The service will provide direct emotional support to vulnerable groups including the homeless, those with mental ill-health, children and young people.
The project will build the skills and capacity of partner organisations to respond to the emotional support needs of their clients, and play an active part in the cross-sector response to local needs and gaps in mental health service provision through participation in multi-agency Suicide Prevention Groups in each Borough.
Sydenham Garden (Lewisham)
Sydenham Garden enables people to improve their quality of life, social interaction and physical and mental health in a supportive community environment.
Maudsley Charity funding will create a new service, the Transitions Pathways Project. The project will help people take the next steps in their recovery and progress – moving into employment, volunteering, further learning or to identify other future goals and take action to work towards them. This project will provide a supportive bridging period between regular attendance at the garden and life beyond it.
Sporting Recovery Widening Participation Project (Southwark)
Sporting Recovery is a Peckham-based not for profit Community Interest Company, providing opportunities for social interaction through physical activity and a Wellness Café; for people experiencing mental distress and those recovering from serious mental illness.
The project will use physical activity and social interaction to raise self-esteem, reduce social isolation and promote the wellbeing of people experiencing mental distress and those recovering from serious mental illness.