Cornwall Mind (and its predecessors Carrick Mind and Restormel Mind) has been supporting the people for Cornwall for well over 20 years. We have a very small group of dedicated part time staff and committed volunteers, many with lived experience of mental health difficulties.
Cornwall is a very rural county with difficult transport links particularly from the outlying villages and hamlets. Cornwall Mind currently covers certain areas of the county with various wellbeing services. We want to raise our profile and the support we offer by expanding the Community Cafes project, social media campaigns and community fundraising.
We will establish Community Cafes in four Cornish towns that are not covered by the current project. The Community Cafe venues will be existing cafes that have a commitment to supporting their local communities. The exact towns selected will be identified following a review of the fundraising event and the success of Community Cafe roadshows. The frequency of the new Community Cafes will be determined by the finance raised to run the sessions, but initially they will be held at least every month.
We will also pilot The Community Cafe roadshows in rural areas – villages. Due to transport issues, people are not able to attend our services in nearby towns. We will be holding eight Community Cafe roadshows, engaging with local people, establishing local community needs and offering support advice and guidance around mental health. One of our target audiences will be the farming community which has many complex social, financial and mental health stressors.
Please help us provide this vital community support. Let’s make it happen!