Grant helps mental health group meet demand

A £50,000 grant to support a mental health service will help it to "remain safe, consistent and sustainable", a charity co-founder has said.

The money, awarded from the government's dormant assets fund, will be used to expand the peer-support services offered by Ed Space by funding two full-time positions for the next year.

Shirley Cain, who co-founded the charity after her brother, Eddie Joyce, took his own life, said it would help the group keep up with demand.

"Most importantly, they will help us continue providing welcoming spaces where people can talk openly and know they are not alone," she said.

The charity currently offers eight weekly peer-support groups in Douglas, Ramsey, Castletown and Peel.

Cain said: "Ed Space has grown considerably, and our volunteers have been central to everything we have achieved.

"As demand for our support continues, it is vital that we put the right structure in place to support them and ensure our services remain safe, consistent and sustainable."

The Manx Lottery Trust (MLT) administers the dormant assets fund on behalf of the Isle of Man Treasury, awarding grants of up to £75,000 to community groups and not-for-profit organisations.

MLT chairman David Christian said the growth of Ed Space "demonstrates both the value of its work and the continuing demand for accessible mental health support within our community".

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