Mental health projects in Liverpool receive funding

Funding has been confirmed for 19 projects to improve mental health and wellbeing in Liverpool over the next 12 months.

Public health Liverpool has earmarked £500k for the community mental health grant programme, with money given to local voluntary, community and faith organisations.

The schemes are focused around four themes, including isolation/loneliness, bereavement, welfare/debt, and young people’s mental health.

Projects provide counselling and therapy sessions for people from a wide range of backgrounds, through workshops, group sessions and the use of art, laughter and cycling as therapy.

Cllr Frazer Lake, Cabinet Member with responsibility for public health, said: ‘The Covid-19 pandemic has unquestionably had a detrimental effect on mental health and wellbeing in our communities.

‘Having good mental health and wellbeing makes it easier to deal with the different physical and mental stresses and problems in life. It also supports our ability to fulfil our ambitions and dreams, to be more confident, have good relationships with other people and cope with life’s ups and downs.

‘This pot of funding is designed to help support people with low-level needs, helping them at an early stage before a problem becomes a crisis.’

The funding applications were assessed by a range of health partners and are being administered by Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services (LCVS), with grants ranging from £15k to £30k.

Clare White, Chief Executive of LCVS, said: ‘We are delighted to administer this scheme, which will see small projects make a huge difference to the lives of a significant number of people.

‘We were overwhelmed with the amount of interest in the funding and it was hugely oversubscribed, and it was a really difficult process for the awards panel to choose the winning bids. “The successful projects are of a really high quality and will provide a wide range of support, helping improve the mental health of people across Liverpool.’

More information about the selected schemes can be found here.

In related news, tens of thousands of people are expected to be protected from homelessness thanks to a £316m funding boost announced by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez