Maldon (Essex) Mind is a Charity and a Company Limited by Guarantee, Affiliated to National Mind but not funded by it.

Founded in 1974, our statement of purpose is:-

"To provide a wide range of caring support for individuals with mental health needs wherever and whenever it is needed within Mid Essex and to raise positive public awareness of mental health issues and campaign for better mental health services"

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Press Statement – 16th June 2008

Local mental health charity, Maldon (Essex) Mind, regrets to have to confirm that one of its oldest Projects, Blackwater Task Force (recently renamed STEPS), will close at the end of July.

Blackwater Task Force (BTF) has been based at the Knightswood site at Southminster for the last 12 years.   It started life in 1984 as a small outreach gardening and clearance scheme, working from St. Giles Crescent in Maldon.  It developed as a diverse and active sheltered employment project, probably best known for its furniture recycling and horticulture schemes, providing opportunities for people with mental health problems to learn new skills.
 
Linda Allen, Chief Officer of Maldon Mind said today

“We have been working hard for some time to try to find ways of remodelling our provision to fit in with the new ways in which these types of services are now being funded.  Last year we invited a new project manager with a background in employment services to help us with this.  In April, we introduced the name STEPs, (Supported Training and Employment Programmes)  to reflect the way in which our work was becoming integrated with local colleges, and we hoped that we would be able to make the project viable under the new funding arrangements.  Sadly, the various different contracts and agreements that could fund our services have been placed with larger providers, and the sub-contracting arrangements that are available to us will not give us sufficient funding security to carry on.   No one could have worked harder than the staff and volunteers at STEPS to keep this special service going in these difficult conditions, and I would like to thank all at the project for their efforts over the years. “

 Stephanie Troop, a Trustee of Maldon Mind commented

 “It is a great shame that we have to close one of our long-standing projects.   We have been struggling to find enough money to run it for some time now.  In common with other similar charity schemes in Essex, we have had to withdraw from this type of service and allow provision to be taken up by mainstream Employment and Training providers.   This fits in with the Government’s strategy of moving mental health employment into the wider world of training and employment, and away from health and social care.

“Maldon (Essex) Mind will continue to work for better mental health in the community through its nine other successful projects in Maldon District and further afield in the county.  These include NERIL- the telephone help-line which operates throughout North Essex, CRESS -our carers’ relief Project across Mid Essex, MAPME – our advocacy service, and BroSis, a young persons’ mentoring scheme in conjunction with local schools and services in the Maldon district.  We are proud of our achievements and we hope to continue with these successful projects and to develop new services as needs in the community are identified.

I must, however, sound a note of caution.  Central Government is making sweeping changes in the types of services thought desirable and the ways in which they are being funded.  This process is putting at risk other well-established and successful projects and many small and medium-sized providers such as Maldon (Essex) Mind are struggling to meet the demands of this change process. ”

Maldon (Essex) Mind, Villa 1, St. Peter’s Hospital, Maldon CM9 6EG.  01621 853211

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WELCOME TO THE MALDON MIND WEBSITE……….

If you have visited our website before you will notice some changes.

Brian (and his son Jonathan) had very kindly set up our original website, and Brian has maintained it until his increasing work commitments have meant he has had to call a halt to his volunteering.  We thank Brian for all his patience and time and I know that he is pleased to hand over the reigns to Chris, who works with other charities on their website design.  

We hope that we at Maldon Mind will be able to spend more time working with Chris to get the website really flying and that we can use this modern medium to get our message even further in the future (and include some pictures!).

We hope that you find this website interesting and helpful and if you have any comments or queries on our website or services or suggestions on things you would like to see included please email admin@maldon-essex-mind.org.uk.

Please note that we cant provide therapeutic interaction via email but if you need to talk to someone for support, our NERIL (North Essex Resource and Information Line) mental health helpline is open 4pm to 8am every day of the year on 0845 0900 909.   NERIL can provide information about all of our services as well as other local and national services and specialized helplines plus general advice and support for services users and families and friends.

If you are interested in helping Maldon Mind, we are always looking for volunteers in many capacities and will provide free training where appropriate.  We also fervently welcome donations and sponsorship from local bodies and businesses and offers of fundraising ideas and support from everyone – every little helps!

Best wishes,

Linda Allen
Chief Officer
On behalf of us all Maldon Mind 

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