Sellafield Ltd supports West Cumbrian mental health services
People struggling with mental health issues in West Cumbria now have somewhere to go for support, following the closure of Mind in West Cumbria last year.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion programme at Sellafield Ltd
Working with United Utilities and Cumbria Community Foundation, Sellafield Ltd are funding the Together We community interest company to provide one-to-one counselling, group counselling and family support services.
Mental health is a key focus of the company’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion programme.
Sellafield Ltd is providing £30,000 to the project which will help replace the services which stopped being available when Mind in West Cumbria closed.
The funding, which was distributed via Cumbria Community Foundation, has come at a critical time when demand for support in this area continues to grow as statutory mental health services are stretched.
Jamie Reed, Head of Corporate Affairs at Sellafield Ltd, said:
This project is essential. It is clear that people up and down the country are struggling with mental health problems, and that the services of the third sector are required to support those of the NHS.
We know that these services will provide a literal lifeline to many people across West Cumbria who have been unable to access this support previously. This includes our own employees, who we know are not immune to these problems.
More people are willing to talk about their mental health and wellbeing, but it is important they can do so with trained workers. These are the people best able to help in times of difficulty. It’s only thanks to the funding that Sellafield Ltd, United Utilities and Cumbria Community Foundation have provided that this can be a reality.
Mental health is not the taboo subject it once was, but the number of people diagnosed with a mental health condition continues to rise.
One in 4 people will be affected by a mental health problem in their lifetime, with 1 in 6 adults being diagnosed with a mental health problem each year. West Cumbria also has a higher number of people admitted to hospital following intentional self-harm than the national average.
The problems are particularly acute in Copeland, which has the highest suicide rate and the second highest number of A&E admissions for mental health conditions in the county.
Janine Ward, Director of Together We, said:
We pride ourselves on delivering evidence-based interventions with qualified, insured and supervised staff. We have good connections across the region and will have a base in both Workington and Whitehaven. Our aim is to empower people to take control over their mental and physical health and wellbeing.
The team will be made up of counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy, mental health practitioners and support workers to enable a full service with a range of interventions available.
Access to our service can be via self or professional referral by emailing referral@togetherwe.co.uk or by telephone 01900 66375.
A referral form with more information about Together We services is available at www.togetherwe.co.uk.
The £30,000 investment comes from the company’s Social Impact budget, which is designed to support resilient, sustainable communities closest to the site, recognising the impact we play in the areas we operate.
Mental health and wellbeing is one of the 5 strands of the Sellafield Ltd Equality, Diversity and Inclusion programme. The company supports a number of national initiatives and programmes to help their employees with mental health and wellbeing issues.
These include Time to Talk and This is Me. They have trained and introduced 180 mental health champions across their business and facilities to help signpost people to services such as those provided by Together We.