Socially Connecting Shaftesbury Project Launch

8th October 2021

Rural Mental Health Matters (RMHM) and Mental Health North Dorset Help and Peer Support (founder is Amanda Sadler) have just received a National Lottery 'Connecting Communities' Grant in order to jointly run a project we named “Socially Connecting Shaftesbury”.

The Socially Connecting Shaftesbury Project is about connecting people living in and around Shaftesbury with all aspects of mental health and wellbeing related support/services, groups and other community organisations available in local and wider pan Dorset areas (including what is available cross borders of Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire).

The 'pop up' will enable us to talk to local people about what matters to them in terms of mental health and wellbeing. This project will help RMHM capture the 'evidence' re challenges and barriers people face living in rural North Dorset from their personal experiences, be that people with direct 'lived experience', those that are diagnosed or undiagnosed in terms of mental illness, or merely people seeking information/help for a loved one/relative/friend. There are many issues facing people who live in rural/remote areas, including loneliness and isolation.

RMHM would really like to see this 'pop up' become a permanent high street fixture (for example acquiring an empty shop on a longer lease) in the longer term, so the evidence we gather will be crucial in maximising our chances of securing more grants in the future!

We plan to deliver this project as a one stop shop, for anything and everything related to wellbeing. A 'pop up' in the Town Hall, Shaftesbury . So essentially a pop up Town Hall! I will also be contacting other organisations/groups across Dorset and borders, who have previously expressed an interest in having some allocated space within a 'pop up' shop prior to the grant being awarded.

As a free to the public 'drop in' project, we will be offering a place for people to pop in for a cuppa (we even have a budget for cake and biscuits!) and a chat at a central high street location, which is fully accessible.

Our Launch Event

25th October 2021 10.30am to 3.30pm
The Town Hall, High Street, Shaftesbury SP7 8LY

Come and join us.