Halifax faith leaders discuss how they can help people with mental health issues who turn up at their doors

Some people struggling with their wellbeing are turning to places of worship because they are considered spaces of sanctuary and are often open when other buildings are not, said Holly Lynch.

Working with pastor at The King’s Centre, Neil Deakin, she arranged to bring mental health charities, clinicians and partners together with faith leaders to ensure places of worship can signpost those who need additional support.

“For many people in Halifax, our places of worship are incredibly special places, but even for those without faith they are safe spaces, places of sanctuary which are often open when other buildings are closed,” said Ms Lynch.

“I was approached by Pastor Neil Deakin at The King’s Centre who suggested there was a real need to bring community partners together to consider how we can best support those who may be struggling with their mental health, when visiting places of worship.

“To have the opportunity to hear from experts around advice, signposting to services as well as techniques for simply listening to people was really valued by all those who were able to attend and so I am really grateful to all those who made the morning a success.”

The attendees included representatives from Open Minds, the Clinical Commissioning Group, Invictus Wellbeing, Staying Well, WomenCentre, and Healthy Minds.