Good news for mental health - Support charity Mind welcomes lottery funding for ecotherapy projects
Last updated 1/25/2012 11:43:42 AM
Good news for mental health - Support charity Mind welcomes lottery funding for ecotherapy projects
Mental health charity Mind has welcomed an extra £2 million from the Big Lottery Fund, that will be available to further support ecotherapy projects across England.
One hundred and thirty Ecominds projects have been established since 2009, thanks to the lottery funding, to deliver outdoor activity programmes across England for people with mental health problems.
Mid-way evaluation of the scheme shows its clear social and economic impact - with thousands of participants reporting improved physical and mental wellbeing; hundreds moving onto further volunteering, training or paid work; and across the country, communities experiencing improved access to green spaces.
The new funding comes amid the uncertain atmosphere of budget cuts, changes to service commissioning and increased demand for mental-health support.
Barry Watts, Ecominds Grants Manager, said: "Ecotherapy has become a life-line for many, offering an alternative form of treatment that can be maintained for life."
Existing projects supported through Mind's Ecominds grants scheme, which is funded by BIG, will be able to bid for the new money, to finance work aimed at securing their long-term future.