The coronavirus pandemic will leave a deep and lasting scar on the mental health of millions in this country. One Community Foundation has prioritised funding for projects that support the mental health of local people across Kirklees. We have awarded over £100,000 of funding to more than forty community projects.
People use a wide range of strategies to cope; these most often include going for a walk, spending time in green spaces, and staying connected with others. Our funds have supported those who needed additional support including online counselling sessions.
New Mind Counselling Service is a professional service offering affordable counselling. They have been established in the Kirklees area since 1994 and recently received a grant to enable them to support people who are suffering with their mental health.
They told us “Mental health problems have developed as a result of the pandemic and existing mental health problems have got worse; many services have seen a sharp increase in demand for services. The grant we received will help us to provide forty individual counselling sessions for those who are struggling”.