Dorset Community Foundation has allocated over £725,000 to 22 community groups across the county to support mental health initiatives. This funding, part of the Community Wellbeing and Mental Health fund, aims to prevent the development of serious mental health problems, thereby reducing pressure on the NHS and complementing existing mental health schemes.
Among the beneficiaries is Options Wellbeing Trust in Bournemouth, which received £59,000 over two years to establish a peer support network for individuals with eating disorders. Similarly, Access Dorset, an organization providing activity sessions for disabled individuals in Bournemouth, received £60,000 over two years to enhance their services.
The fund, operated in collaboration with NHS Dorset and Community Action Network, prioritizes community-based non-clinical services and activities aimed at enhancing the wellbeing and mental health of adults. According to Jonathan Waddington-Jones, CEO of Access Dorset, the grant will be transformative and greatly benefit the individuals they support.
Grant Robson, CEO of Dorset Community Foundation, expressed satisfaction with the program’s success in meeting NHS Dorset’s objectives and announced a second round of grant applications, offering funding of up to £10,000, in the summer. This ongoing support underscores the commitment to enhancing mental health and wellbeing at the community level.
