Today a new grant scheme has been launched as part of plans to transform mental health across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

This innovative scheme will see circa £3M spent over the next three years by local voluntary and community sector organisations on their own projects, new or existing, in their own communities to support people’s mental health and wellbeing.

LPT’s Rob Melling is leading  the Getting Help is Neighbourhoods project: “This scheme marks a step change in our delivery of mental health services. It is a true collaboration between the NHS, local authorities and the voluntary community sector that will see money being spent by the voluntary community organisations in their local area.”

“The thinking for this has come from the NHS’s Long-Term Plan which is asking us to provide more support for mental health and wellbeing, closer to home and relevant to local communities’ needs.

Katy Green from Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation added: “We are delighted to be working on this programme with all the system partners. We know many of the community organisations that could be bidding for this money and we can provide that expertise to them to help them bid successfully and to make sure that their funding delivers well. We will be holding ‘drop ins’ for interested organisations after the launch and will publicise on our webpage.”

For more information visit llrcommunityfoundation.org.uk or call 0116 2624 916.