Our Mission

Hadleigh Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub, a community-driven initiative dedicated to supporting the mental and emotional wellbeing of everyone in Hadleigh, Suffolk. This resource is designed as a safe and inclusive space where individuals can find support, share their experiences, and explore opportunities for personal growth. Our hub is continuously evolving, shaped by the needs and contributions of our community members. We believe that everyone deserves access to reliable mental health resources, and we aim to foster a network of support built on empathy, understanding, and connection.

At our core, we are committed to providing valuable resources and support for various aspects of wellbeing, including mental health, creative expression, and physical recovery. Whether you are seeking someone to talk to, wanting to engage in creative activities, or looking for advice on recovery, our hub is here for you. By bringing together local groups and initiatives, we strive to ensure lasting connections, empowering individuals to navigate life's challenges with courage and hope. Join us in this journey towards enhanced wellbeing and community solidarity. We will attend this year’s Hadleigh Show to highlight what we are about and how we can support the community or help them find the best support for them.

We are now a CIC which will allow us to start fundraising and our aim is to fund psychiatrist assessments and therapy types like CBT, EMDR and NLP etc for vulnerable adults and children. This will take some of the pressures from our local health care and reduce long waiting lists, especially those like CAMHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. These waiting lists can range from 6 months to 2 years. So many vulnerable families reach-out since the HMHW Hub launch last year so this is defiantly necessary for the community.

I am also looking for grants to train myself as a Mental Health First Aid Instructor and an ASIST) Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Trained instructor) so I can teach individuals, groups, and organisations in the community. This is vital and basic training to educate and support as many people as possible. I am booked on an NLP Nuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner Course I have already funded myself at a cost of £2000. This is a course I first learnt about on the Warrior Programme a three-day residential veterans recovery programme I attended in 2025. Dates I will be attending are first week of June.

We have already had great community support which has allowed us to fund the purpose built HMHW Hub gazebo etc for the Hadleigh Show to really put us on the map and attract groups and organisations who are offering support and to highlight what we want to achieve.

I am happy to meet and talk it through. I am already doing so much in the community as a PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide Champion and a Cruse Bereavement Support Worker supporting young people through their grief journeys. Diploma in Grief and Bereavement Counselling, delivering suicide prevention presentation across the county.

So far, I have funded the website myself and all the resources that are available on the website, this is so families can print the resources for free. The website is still a work in progress but is live and I keep adding content when the community provide innovative ideas and support groups. It is a place for the community ran by the community so improve the mental health and wellbeing of as many people as possible, including the surrounding villages and who knows how big this can grow or inspire others. I’ve also funded public liability insurance, and we are looking at some merchandise for events.

Since losing my daughter to suicide in 2014, I have worked tirelessly to navigate my own recovery, understand where the gaps in support exist, and challenge myself to push for meaningful change. It would be incredible to continue this journey as a community, just as we did when installing the two suicide prevention benches in Hadleigh in September 2025, demonstrating what we can achieve when we come together with purpose and compassion.

The Hadleigh Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub long-term project will bring significant, lasting benefits to individuals, families, and services across Hadleigh and the surrounding villages. This document outlines the key groups who will directly benefit from the Hub’s development and planned initiatives.

1. Vulnerable Children and Young People

The project supports children and young people experiencing mental health challenges, including those on long waiting lists for CAMHS. Benefits include access to funded psychiatric assessments, therapeutic interventions such as CBT, EMDR, and NLP, shorter waiting times, early intervention, and improved emotional support.

2. Vulnerable Adults

Adults facing mental ill-health, trauma, stress, or emotional difficulties will have access to funded assessments, therapy, a safe community space, and opportunities for connection, recovery, and resilience-building.

3. Families in Crisis

Families who are struggling will benefit from free resources, early intervention support, clear signposting, and help navigating mental health challenges before they escalate.

4. The Wider Hadleigh Community

The Hub provides accessible wellbeing resources, creative and recovery-focused activities, community connection, and a central place for local groups to collaborate and reduce stigma.

5. Local Organisations, Schools, and Community Groups

By offering mental health and suicide prevention training such as Mental Health First Aid and ASIST, the project strengthens local schools, workplaces, youth groups, charities, and frontline teams.

6. Local Health and Social Care Services

Through funded therapy and assessments, the project alleviates pressure on GP practices, CAMHS, and mental health teams, reducing waiting lists and improving support capacity.

7. Community Volunteers and Peer Supporters

The Hub fosters skill development, volunteering opportunities, and greater community engagement for those supporting local wellbeing initiatives.

8. Local Events and Public Awareness Initiatives

Resources such as a new Hub gazebo for the Hadleigh Show will improve visibility, attract partner organisations, and help residents access support and information. To support the provision of funded psychiatric assessments and therapeutic interventions such as CBT, EMDR, and NLP, the Hadleigh Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub will run a range of community-based fundraising activities. These will include local events, wellbeing workshops, sponsored challenges, collaboration with partner organisations, and active participation in community gatherings such as the Hadleigh Show. By combining public fundraising, grant applications, corporate sponsorship, and community donations, we aim to create a sustainable funding stream that ensures vulnerable children, young people, and adults can access timely mental health support without long waiting lists or financial barriers.

Summary

The Hadleigh Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub long-term project will benefit children, young people, adults, families, local organisations, health services, volunteers, and the wider community. Its community-driven model, focus on early intervention, and commitment to accessible support will strengthen wellbeing across the area and reduce the pressures on overstretched services.