Why it matters: More than 4,000 people in Suffolk received help through the Equity in Mind programme, with many participants reporting reduced NHS service use, improved confidence and better mental wellbeing through community-based support.
The details: The £796,612 programme was funded by NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board and managed by Suffolk Community Foundation. The grants enabled organisations to work more closely with each other and with statutory health providers to support people facing serious mental health challenges.
ActivGardens in Ipswich: ActivLives was one of the organisations to receive funding, which enabled the charity to run more programmes at their community gardens – ActivGardens – in Ipswich.
Susannah Robirosa, fundraising and development manager at ActivGardens, said: "EiM funding enabled ActivGardens to grow substantially. For the first time, we ran two sets of courses side by side - one for mental health, called 'Gardening in Mind', and one with a focus on skills and learning called 'Grow Your Future'. Running Gardening in Mind over two years gave us time to reflect on what did and didn't work and to improve delivery over time."
The courses helped people out of social isolation, a significant cause of poor mental health. Many of those who participated became friends and now have a support network of their own.
Jason Flatt continued as a volunteer after completing the gardening course and then became a key volunteer, completing first aid, safeguarding and in-house training to supervise the site, support staff and mentor others. After a long period of unemployment, he now has a job.
Jason said: "Participating in ActivGardens has been a tremendous help for me mentally. Being outdoors, working with nature, and connecting with the other group members has given me a sense of purpose and routine. It's helped reduce my anxiety, lifted my mood, and improved my confidence. It's been more than a programme; it's been a lifeline."
Kyle Clennell also continued as a volunteer after completing the gardening course. He had previously been spending a lot of time at home and had been anxious about what the course was going to involve. He has since joined ActivGardens' employability course and now works as a school crossing patrol.
He said: "The main thing these courses and volunteering helped me with was supporting me into applying for jobs - I learnt all these skills and it gave me the confidence to apply. I then went for my first interview and, after being out of work for almost a year and a half, I was given the job on the spot. The employer also seemed impressed that I'm a volunteer."
John Moran had been lonely and suffering from depression. He decided to join Gardening in Mind to give him something positive to do and help him establish a routine. He is now a regular volunteer with the programme.
John added: "The group of people I did the course with, we're all good friends and we care about each other. I'd recommend this place to anyone who's depressed or lonely – it's inclusive, there's no pressure, you can do as much or as little as you like. Staff are nice, caring people."
Ipswich Community Media: ICM also benefited from EiM funding, using it to deliver creative sessions for people with severe mental illness and support its key delivery partner, the Phoenix Project.
Gulshan Kayembe, High Sheriff of Suffolk and chair of Ipswich Community Media, said: "The EiM project has been brilliant in addressing mental health and wellbeing at ground level in our communities. It's given us the opportunity to work with groups which find it difficult to access funding from statutory services by themselves."
90% of people helped by ICM said the confidence they had gained from upskilling had positively impacted their mental health and wellbeing, while 40% of respondents reported using fewer NHS services.
The main charity supported by Ipswich Community Media, the Phoenix Project, was able to continue its work empowering people with poor mental health to be creative and learn new skills. The funding also enabled them to put on extra events and to continue offering a Friday lunch club.
Donna Hayward, co-founder of the Phoenix Project, said: "The funding gave us financial stability for two years so we could focus on new ways of supporting more people and plan ahead. We've arranged creative writing and art classes, and we've renovated a greenhouse where people have learned to grow food that we've eaten in our lunch club."
Carl Swallow did not feel confident meeting other people, but he now attends the lunch club and other wellbeing activities. He has also rediscovered his love of guitar playing and has enjoyed using ICM's recording studios to make music. He now performs at events.
Carl, from Ipswich, said: "I feel inspired to practice my guitar regularly now and improve my skills with singing and playing to build my confidence even more. Doing this and going to the Phoenix Project has given me direction in my life. I'm part of a community and feel like I belong. I look forward to the Friday lunches and the creative sessions."
For context: Suffolk Community Foundation is the largest independent grant maker to the voluntary sector in the county. It works closely with stakeholders to increase understanding of need and raise essential funds to support local charities and community groups.
Hannah Bloom, chief executive at Suffolk Community Foundation, said: "Working with the ICB on the Equity in Mind fund demonstrated just how important the voluntary sector is in complementing and supporting statutory services. It was a pleasure to be involved with all the partners in the project, and we are delighted with the far-reaching and positive impact that the funding has had on individuals living with mental health challenges throughout Suffolk."
Jason Joseph, Suffolk head of mental health system change at NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board, said: "The Equity in Mind programme has demonstrated that voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations really can find the spark that can change people's lives for the better and we look forward to taking the learning from the programme forward in our future commissioning work."
The bottom line: More than 4,000 people connected with something that made their days lighter, gave them courage and filled them with hope for a brighter future, demonstrating the vital role community organisations play in complementing statutory mental health services.
