£20,000 lottery grant will help Newbury mental health charity

A Newbury-based self-advocacy group for people with mental health issues is celebrating after receiving a grant from the National Lottery.

Eight Bells For Mental Health has been given £20,000 from the Community Fund, which is being used to help fund running costs of its drop-in sessions.

Founded in 2007, the charity takes its name from the former pub in Bartholomew Street where it was founded as a response to a cut in funding which meant an original support group was to fold.

The members decided they wanted the support to continue and launch their own charity.

They set up a member-management committee and have a say in the day-to-day running of the organisation and its activities.

They also play a key role in fundraising activities, which over the past year has included a sponsored walk and quizzes.

The charity’s manager Andrea Barrett said: “Our main goal is to reduce loneliness, isolation and the stigma that accompanies those that experience mental health challenges, as well as providing a safe, warm and friendly place where people can be among like-minded people.

“We are all about support, friendship and a listening ear.”

The grant is important to Eight Bells, as it relies on fundraising and support from organisations such as The Greenham Trust.

In all, Ms Barrett said, they need to raise around £94,000 each year to fund its works.

“I applied to the Community Fund at the National Lottery because we needed to keep running this vital service,” she continued. “They decided it was something they wanted to support.

“When the email came in, if I’m honest, I wanted to cry because it’s such a big chunk of our expenditure.

“It means the world us – our trustees, our staff, our volunteers and, especially, our members.

“There are a lot of charities out that looking to get money from the same pot, so it was amazing to receive it, and it was amazing feeling to be able to share the news with our members.

“What this grant means is we can provide 30 sessions for our users.”

There are 156 of these sessions over the course of the year, and they take place from 10am to 4pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, at The Friends Meeting House in Highfield Avenue.

“If people want to come, sit and chat, play games or just read a book, they can do that,” Ms Barrett said.

“Alongside that we offer a range of well-being activities people can take part in if they want to.”

These include an art group, craft activities and sporty sessions.

Advocacy, counselling and training are also available, with food hygiene a big part of the sessions as members can cook meals for the group, using ingredients grown by its gardening club based out of Lock Island and the Nature Discovery Centre in Thatcham.

Ms Barrett is hoping that people across Newbury will help the charity’s work, either by making a financial gift, donation goods or services – one café gives milk each week – or volunteering time.

“We are supported by lots of organisations, but we need more,” she said.

“Ideally, we would love some local businesses and companies to become our charity partners.

“We also have a webpage on The Good Exchange through the Greenham Trust where donations are match funded.”

Volunteers are also “very important” and, as Ms Barrett said, “Eight Bells couldn’t do it without them”.

Visit eightbellsnewbury.co.uk for more information or seek it out on social media.