It is 5 years since I put forward a motion to IW Council to join the Local Authorities Mental Health Challenge programme, which was agreed. However, it was only in 2021, I was elected as the IWC’s Mental Health champion.
It was a great pleasure today (10th October 2022) to witness the recommitment to the Mental Health pledge with staff of the Isle of Wight Council with the Interim CEO, Wendy Perrera, and the Leader of the Council, Cllr Lora Peacey-Wilcox.
A big achievement for me as Mental Health Champion was to see the Public Health department establish the Mental Health Small Grants Fund in 2021/22 with £54,000 in awards going to 17 projects including in Ryde projects such as Veteran’s Hub, men Only, Sensory CIC and Tidal Family Support. The 2022/23 MH Small Grants 2nd Round of £50,000 was launched today and is focusing on grass-roots support groups helping residents through the cost-of-living crisis.
