Burnham-On-Sea’s MP James Heappey has visited local charity Somewhere House Somerset to see their portakabin in Tesco’s car park where support is offered to local people.
Somewhere House Somerset recently wrote to MP James Heappey following the recent news that the government is pledging £6m in funds to help children with alcoholic parents get support and advice.
The charity says the goal of the meeting with the MP was to discuss recent government changes and developments in the support of mental health services for children and adults, whilst introducing the therapeutic work done by Somewhere House Somerset in the local community.
The charity feels it is an important meeting to help raise awareness of professional services that can be accessed to aid the increase in mental health support required.
Angie Clarke, CEO of Somewhere House Somerset, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “It is important to get the support of the local government constituencies so that micro-providers and charitable organisations such as Somewhere House Somerset can get the backing needed to continue providing community interventions that helps with the wellbeing of individuals within a community.”
Somewhere House Somerset’s mission is to provide a therapeutic service for anyone who chooses to access support in the local community.
It aims to reach individuals who most need help through a variety of services including low cost counselling, educational workshops and community projects with a professional and flexible approach.
Mr Heappey said he is working both in Westminster and in Somerset to research best practice locally and around the county in order to apply those lessons across Somerset.
He said: “Somewhere House is an amazing charity and works really hard for people of all ages who are suffering with mental health issues.”
“There has been a lot of discussion in Parliament over the past week as a result of Mental Health Awareness Week and it is important everyone realises it is just as easy to break your head, as it is your arm or your leg. And when that happens we need help from clinicians and councillors in just the same way as we need someone to put our broken limbs into plaster.”
“Charities like Somewhere House play a vital part in providing a breadth and depth of mental health support and will be essential as we deliver the long overdue parity of esteem between mental and physical health.”
