A Community Hub based in Okehampton, Devon, is providing a much-needed safe space, for mental health and suicide prevention support thanks to help from South West Water.
The Well-being Café was set up in 2022 with the key aim of making Okehampton a suicide safer community, providing an open space within the community to support those who may be struggling with their mental health.
Following the devastating blow of 22 male suicides in just 19 months within Okehampton and its surrounding areas, the community hub cafe is determined to provide as many local businesses and individuals as possible with free resources containing information on mental health support and suicide prevention.
Thanks to the support from South West Water’s Neighbourhood Fund, the team at The Well-being Café will be able to support around 7,500 men with details of both local and national mental health support and suicide prevention contacts.
Gemma Partridge, Organiser of the Well-being Café, said: “The funding from South West Water’s Neighbourhood Fund has allowed us to design and distribute physical resources which are going out to local companies to put up around their workplaces, and being handed out directly within the community by ourselves.
“We want to make sure that the men in our community know that seeking help isn’t a sign of weakness but is instead a sign of strength.”
Laura Flowerdew, Chief Customer and Digital Officer at South West Water, said: “We are proud to be able to support this initiative and hope that those struggling with their mental health can feel more confident in seeking the help they need by having the right resources to hand.”
For more information about South West Water’s Neighbourhood Fund, and for details on how to apply, visit Neighbourhood fund | South West Water