Grants available for suicide prevention work

Grants are being made available to support organisations in Darlington that promote good mental health and help to reduce the number of people taking their own lives.

The scheme, which is being administered by North Yorkshire County Council, is also open to organisations in Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby.

Councillor Lorraine Tostevin, Darlington Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Health, Housing and Partnerships said: “Statistics show that, at some point in their lives, one in four people will experience mental health issues.

“We are able to offer this grant programme thanks to a successful bid for funding from NHS England. This bid was submitted by Darlington and our partners in the Durham, Darlington, Tees, Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Sustainability and Transformation Partnership.

“The aim is to support a national initiative to reduce suicide rates in England by 10% by 2020-21, and to build on the important work already under way in Darlington to help prevent suicides – through our local multi-agency suicide action plan.

“This is the second year we have been able to offer this funding, and any local organisation working in the Darlington, Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby area is eligible to apply.”

Organisations can bid for between £500 and £4,000 up to the end of November 2020 for work to support one or more of the following:

• reducing stigma and discrimination around mental health ill health;
• developing mentally healthy communities and workplaces;
• reducing loneliness and social and emotional isolation; and
• reducing suicides.

Guidance and application forms can be downloaded from the North Yorkshire County Council website at https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/stronger-communities.  The closing date for applications is Sunday 17 November 2019.