A mental health charity is aiming to strengthen the support it provides in Wrexham.
North East Wales MIND is trying to establish what services are needed in the town and how it can work with other agencies.
Their finance manager, Andrea Hurst, was speaking after hearing that they’d been given a financial boost by Tom Dowse, manager at the Odeon cinema at Eagles Meadow in Wrexham.
Tom, 34, raised more than £100 by taking part in the Great Manchester Run which was held in the aftermath of the Manchester Arena atrocity.
It was one of a series of fund-raising efforts by staff at the Odeon who have MIND as their chosen charity this year.
Tom said: “The atmosphere was amazing with immense and supportive crowds everywhere. It was really positive and Manchester was a great place to be, no doubt about that.
“Everyone pulled together and so many charities and good causes benefitted as a result, it was inspiring.”
He added: “I ran as part of the Odeon team of 12. We were all raising money for MIND which is the Odeon’s charity for this year. I personally raised more than £100.
“I was a rower when I was at Staffordshire University many moons ago and have always kept quite fit. However, I wasn’t really ready for a 10k race to be honest. Worse still, I turned my ankle after 8k and had to slow right up.
“I finished in 1hr 13 min which was quite a bit outside my target of under an hour. Still, considering I didn’t train enough I was just pleased to finish to be honest.”
He said: “I’m just pleased to have been able to run and support such a good charity. MIND does an incredible amount of work and needs all the support it can get. I’m delighted to have been able to help even in such a small way.”
Andrea was grateful to Tom and everyone else who fundraises in support of the work they do in all communities.
She said: “Our team is committed to helping people across Flintshire and Wrexham manage their mental wellbeing. We help them recover from mental health problems and stay emotionally healthy.
“We have an office in Mold, Flintshire and are currently trying to identify the services that are required and we can provide in the Wrexham area.
“In Mold we run a drop in centre on Saturday’s so people can pop in for a brew and a chat.
“We have volunteers who can offer relaxation sessions and offer a listening ear. We also offer other social activities throughout the week and we also have a regular craft group.”
“We help people with mild to moderate mental health issues and work closely with Parabl, a service run by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which is open to adults aged 18 and over living anywhere across North Wales.
“It’s really about circumstances that can cause a person to have mental health issues.
“It might be bereavement, relationship issues, anxiety, alcohol dependency, depression or any number of other events that cause people to go above or drop below that straight line. Our role is to step in and offer support, advice and therapies that may help.”
She added: “We are currently working hard in Wrexham to identify the areas that we can offer help. There are a number of agencies that are already dealing with some issues so it’s important for us to see how we can help and what we can offer.
“We are already firmly established in Mold and it’s how we can carry that work forward into new areas.
“However, it’s all about funding. We need funds to be able to support people who need help. We are always grateful to people like Tom who support us.
“The money the Odeon team raised through the Manchester 10k will go into the national charity but it does filter down into local areas. That means we can support more people and offer more services to people in Flintshire and Wrexham.”
Eagles Meadow manager Kevin Critchley congratulated Tom on his run and fundraising efforts in support of MIND.
He said: “I’m delighted Tom and the rest of the Odeon team chose to run for MIND. Mental health issues are all too often stigmatised and brushed under the carpet. It’s important we all understand that these are issues that need to be addressed.
“It never ceases to amaze me just how much money is raised by staff of Eagles Meadow for such a wide range of good causes. Tom and the rest of the Odeon team have done an amazing job and raised a lot of money for a very good cause.”
To find out more about NEW MIND please visit www.newmind.org.uk
