"We are living month by month now" - Mental health charity in Halifax pushed to brink of closure due to lack of funds

The Arch-Way Project, on Arden Road, serves over 120 people and has been operating for the past seven years.

But it is facing closure unless new sources of funding can be found, and manager Pam West says that would mean its service users would be pushed back into an already overcrowded NHS.

Pam said: "Third sectors are not getting the support that they need.

"Because of this, people suffer and it puts more strain onto the NHS.

"Cuts are being made, people are being made redundant, and it's the most vulnerable people in society who suffer.

"We get visits from MP's but do they actually make a difference? They visit, they write things down and get a picture for their socials.

"I'm sure their workload is stretched too, and I know some things are out of their control. It just feels like there isn't support where it is needed and we feel angry about it.

"We put so much work into the community with the services we provide.

"Some staff have cut their hours and some have agreed to stay on as volunteers, but it does mean that the projects will suffer."

The charity employs seven staff and has nine volunteers.

Pam says they have applied for funding but that it's not guaranteed and the competition for charities to receive funding has become much more fierce since the Covid lockdown.

"Third sector organisations, charities like ours, just need funding, that's the bottom line," Pam said.

"We live modestly, we don't over budget, staff are paid a fair wage and we work from a damp infested building that is in need of contestant repair, with no means to repair it.

"We serve over 120 people in the community, especially those living with mental health issues. This includes people on the autistic spectrum, adults with profound mental health problems and the elderly living with or at risk from dementia and those who feel lonely or isolated.

"We use music, art, beauty therapy and exercise as vehicles to engage with these vulnerable people; teach new skills, build confidence and self-esteem and help people manage their mental health more effectively, in an alternative and non-clinical setting. All for free.

"We concentrate on empowering people who feel disaffected or live on the fringes of society, many of our service-users feel marginalised and we work with them in rebuilding their confidence in order that they may feel they can re-connect with society.

"Many of our interventions take the form of social activities, enabling people to make new friends and build new relationships."

The charity opens from Monday to Thursday between 10am and 4pm, offering a space in which people can socialise, be warm, have lunch for a fee of £4, and enjoy activities free of charge.

"Some people have been using our services for seven years," said Pam.

"Many individuals are on low income and use our project for support. For example, one service user had no heating over winter, but knew they could attend Arch-Way project for the whole day, just to be warm. That's just one instance, there are so many other stories.

"We didn't get through to the second round of funding from the National Lottery, due to their budget cuts and increase in applications.

"They were our main funders. We are living month by month now."

For more information on the charity, visit www.archwayproject.org.uk.