A Newcastle Emlyn charity has been awarded a cash boost from BIG Lottery funding to offer outreach and befriending services.

HUTS (Help Us to Survive) has received £402,946 over the next three years to deliver befriending activities across Ceredigion, and outreach activities across Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, to help improve health, wellbeing, social development and confidence for people who experience mental health difficulties.

HUTS Manager, Sally Chorley, said: “The grant enables HUTS to introduce new Befriending and Outreach services to a rural population who can often live in isolation The fund also allows us to sustain our existing services. Befriending will help to improve health, wellbeing, social development, confidence and becoming part of the community.”

“Befriending is reliant on recruiting volunteers within the local communities, who can offer a few hours a week to support individuals in their homes. This could be from a walk along the beach, trip to a café, local groups and much more.”

“Our Outreach services will now have an ambassador to promote the awareness of mental health and reduce the stigma associated with it, raise public awareness in schools, local organisations and businesses, work in conjunction with GP’s and the community mental health teams, and provide further help for existing members. A big thank you from all at HUTS to the BIG Lottery Fund for awarding this grant for our new project.”

She added: "Our local community will also benefit as we need to recruit new staff and volunteers to implement these exciting new roles. "