In September, North Staffs Voice for Mental Health was informed by the two Clinical Commissioning Groups covering the Stoke-on-Trent area that its funding would not be continued.
The charity, formerly known as North Staffs Users Group, has been helping local people to access mental health services for twenty- five years. It has offices Dudson Centre and at Harplands Hospital and sends representatives to several NHS committees and has been praised by the CCG for its positive contribution.
North Staffs Voice also has a small full -time staff who attend drop in centres around the city supported by volunteers. The removal of funding puts their jobs and the continued existence of the group at risk.
In a bid to prevent closure the charity has been working on a fundraising strategy, as part of which it has put a bid for funding in to the Aviva Community Fund.
Chair of Trustees Adam Colclough said, ‘the bid was put together by one of our members totally off her own back and this shows what a wonderful and proactive group of volunteers we have.’
He added that ‘it would be a great shame if an organisation with the important role we play in helping people to access services were to cease to exist. Everyone from the Chief Executive on down is working hard to ensure this does not happen.’
The charity is seeking £10,000+ in funding and supporters can vote for its application to the Aviva Community Fund at:
https://www.avivacommunityfund.co.uk/voting/project/view/17-2709#plus
Voting closes on 21st November.
No comments:
Post a Comment