In need of a kind word

That tip about the Co-op and the others like Tesco, is good. But some of the massive companies can be surprisingly keen to help. Producers of daily life/household products really do like to show a human side and to help. To keep you going would be peanuts to them and a discreet sign that they care. Mental health is an issue in their World, too.

Great advice here Annie - I can offer no more but wish you well in your quest. I have family members who are suffering with mental health issues - I know how destructive this can be and how critical it is that funding is secured for such vulnerable folks .... ❤️

I have just seen your post Annieb how disheartening for you and the other workers. I hope you're able to secure funding to keep the service going for a group who are already on the margins with their needs so often ignored. Sending you hugs and

Annie have just logged on, I can't offer any further advice, just want to say how sorry I am. My working life was in the mental health field, some statutory and some voluntary sectors, and I know how limited services are and how resources like yours are needed. All I can do is send you a big hug and say please don't stop believing, it can work out.

I hope to find help before any need to tell Tegan,

Have you contacted a local newspaper about the possible closure? It's amazing what a bit of publicity can do.

How kind you all are, I was so distressed this morning , it took a lot of hard work to set it up, find volenteers, find premises, apply for funding, only a few first called in but now it has become a life line for many. We open 365 days of the year because weekends, bank holidays all other support is closed. We have an allotment too and in the summer I arrange barge trips because we have a canal in town, we go out for afew hours . We have a book club, DVD club, and two lovely woman from the complimentary clinic visit to give some a talk about oils and how they affect moods. Have recently bullied someone into taking us thought Mindfulness . Since we had four suicides in a short time I start a night time phone line , I only do two nights a week. But as many will know , nights can be cruel to the mind. Sorry rabbitted on.

So much advice ,i will work through the lot , I cannot give up , and you have helped some lovely people who you will never meet. I thank you for the advice, kindness and giving me strength to keep fighting. You are just so lovely X

Some thoughtful advice on here. Do hope you can get some funding for your deserving clients. How unfair all this is.

Sorry to read this annie, but sadly not surprised. LA's have had their funding cut to the bone and charities are suffering badly because LA's can no longer fund them. It's no consolation I know but in our town it's been announced by our Labour council that 12 family centres will close. Our mental health services are abysmal and rely heavily on volunteers and funding for other services is so low.
Look after yourself Annie.

www.civilsociety.co.uk/finance/news/content/21474/government_commits_57m_to_charities_from_libor_funds_and_tampon_tax
www.disability-grants.org/community-grants-charities-trusts.html
www.bupaukfoundation.org/#
www.c3sc.org.uk/support/funding/current-funding

I am not sure if any of the above links are helpful, I hope so.

Anniebach [hugs]

That must have been a shock.

I can't be much help as I'm sure you will know more about fund-raising in your area than me anniebach, but there are some good suggestions above.
Is it registered as a charity? If so, some publicity in the local press could raise awareness and help bring in funds.

Just wanted to say sorry AB.
Local business and lottery is I all can think of.

Is any of your 'friends' who use the centre well connected in any way to any local business people or MP

When our local children's centre closed down (where we had our grandparent/grandchild club), one of the grandmothers DD was the head teacher at the local primary school.
She had a word and we were able to have a room that was part ot the nursery for one afternoon a week
(Without charge).

Sometimes its a case of who you know.

So sorry to hear this, we have ongoing problems trying to keep village assets afloat so can understand your difficulties. We too have a funding advice hub which has proved invaluable. Couple of suggestions-are you anywhere near a landfill site? We obtained funding from SITA trust which redistributes landfill tax. We also accessed European funding via local authority - perhaps there are still a few small tranches available even if main source has terminated.

Good luck and good hunting.

I'm so sad for you ab, what a shock. I really hope you manage to keep the centre going. I can't add anything to the suggestions made already and there have been a lot, but it looks as if it will be a lot of hard work on your part to get funding. I really wish you all the luck in the world with this.

Waitrose take applications for Community projects (if you have one - Waitrose - near) and our local airport has a fund available for local projects to make up for the aircraft flight paths. Also, the Co-op in our village gives a percentage of sales of own brand goods (I think - I don't do fund raising but do see the emails) And, anyone building new houses in our village is always worth a try.

Our local Council has something called VAL (I did wonder who this really knowledgeable person was!) which stands for Voluntary Action Leicestershire who are really good source of information for all sorts of help.

Sorry, Annie, my way of dealing with setbacks is to think of a way out but I recognise some people need to sit back and think a bit - I hope you don't mind ideas coming at you left right and centre.

I'm so sorry, Anniebach ((hug)). I do hope you're able to keep the centre open one way or another.

So sorry ab. The only suggestion I had has already been mentioned (lottery) as I saw on news recently, several areas, (including mine) have been given lottery funding to improve the 'sadly lacking' mental health centres around the country. It's worth an ask.

I hope somone here can advise you. I just wanted to say I'm sorry and send you a big
((((((Hug)))) it must be sole destroying to put your heart and sole into somthing and have the 'carpet pulled ou from under your feet, especially when it's for the benefit of your community. It's frustrating too because you know it so short sighted your clients may well need to access other services and this put more strain on them.

This is a good point Luckygirl. We have one in our local area and she certainly knows many places to try for funding and the advice is free and continuous if you want it.

Most local authorities have a bod who is in charge of charity funding sources - I have used ours to good effect. He knows everything there is to know about these sources; and I am on his mailing list, so get updated on grant-giving bodies locally and nationally. I have used his expertise to good effect on several occasions - so do not despair - there may be a way forward if you do your research.

Or just google it - there are some weird and wonderful bequests that have trust funds associated with them and give grants for all sorts of things.

I got my OH through medical school - he had no grant - by researching grant-making bodies.

Have you considered trying for Lottery Funding? I've written two successful lottery bids and it's not as hard people make out.....tedious, time consuming, yes.

annie I am really sorry to hear this and its happening all over the place. Have you thought of setting up a Community Interest Company which is essentially a social enterprise. this is the vehicle people use to run community services, community pubs, libraries, clubs, etc etc. There is a lot of information on the internet about it.

And crowd funding??

There has been much suuport from mps of all parties regarding increasing mental health provision. Perhaps your mp can help??