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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Our Vision, Purpose and Aim

Our Vision:

A community where living with and talking about Mental Health becomes acceptable for everyone.

Purpose:

We connect minds: We bring people together to make change in their communities.

We change minds: We speak out and demand better from policymakers and the public.

We support minds: We deliver life-changing support.

Our Aim:

We will connect minds by working in partnership and through communities.

We will continue to change minds across the county.

We will develop our offer to support minds in order to reduce the postcode inequality and inequity for access.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

An introduction from our CEO ............................................................................................................. 4 Reflection from our Co-Chairs, Board of Trustees ............................................................................5 Comments from our Patron ................................................................................................................. 6 Our Impact ..............................................................................................................................................7 Operations - Adult Services ................................................................................................................ 9 Active Monitoring .................................................................................................................................................9 Triage ...................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Information Services Mailbox Signposting ................................................................................................ 15 Adult Counselling ............................................................................................................................................... 16 Mentoring Minds ............................................................................................................................................... 18 Community Groups for Adults and Young people .................................................................................. 20 Operations – Children and Young People Services ........................................................................ 23 The Waiting Well Project ................................................................................................................................ 24 Wellbeing Comics ...............................................................................................................................................27 Mentoring Minds for Young People ..............................................................................................................27 Active Monitoring for young people in Primary Care Networks (PCNS) ......................................... 28 CYP Counselling ................................................................................................................................................ 29 Volunteers .............................................................................................................................................30 Dorset Mind Ambassadors.................................................................................................................. 32 Strategic Partnerships .......................................................................................................................34 Working in Collaboration................................................................................................................................. 35 Dorset Voluntary Community Sector Expo - 9th April 2023 .............................................................. 35 Supporting North Dorset ............................................................................................................................... 36 Marketing and Digital Content ......................................................................................................... 39 Bids and Grants .................................................................................................................................... 47 Legacies ............................................................................................................................................................... 50 In Memory Giving .............................................................................................................................................. 50 Community Fundraising and Events ..................................................................................................51 How we raised our funds ..................................................................................................................... 56 Finance .................................................................................................................................................................. 56 Corporate Partnerships and Community Fundraising... .........................................................................57 How we spent our money... ................................................................................................................ 59 Central Operations ...............................................................................................................................61 Thank Yous... ......................................................................................................................................... 62 Our People ............................................................................................................................................ 63

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

An introduction from our CEO

Linda O’Sullivan

In last year’s report I shared how I had been inspired by the Dorset Mind Community from day one. Nearly three years into the role as Chief Executive I can confirm that I have never met a more determined, dedicated, and creative team that comprise the staff, Trustees, Ambassadors, and volunteers that make Dorset Mind.

This past year has been challenging in many ways, yet the Dorset Mind family have been more determined than ever to ensure we continue to serve those who need our support. Demand for our services has reached unprecedented levels, but the challenges to fund our work is has been immense. The support from our partners and donors has been critical - and inspiring.

We are fortunate to have a powerful network—a family—of partners, supporters, ambassadors, and volunteers who make our work possible. Together, we’ve directly supported 9,086, but in truth, we have reached many more people across Dorset, helping them navigate their mental health journeys.

But there is so much more to do.

Our work is far from over, and the challenges we face can only be met through continued partnership and collaboration. By coming together, we can expand our impact, reach even more lives, and build a resilient community where everyone has access to the mental health support they need.

As I write this, we are drawing to the close of 2024, and are working on our new strategy and the priority development areas that will drive our future work over the next 2 to 3 years. Working with partners and funders who can help us achieve even more, we must increase our support for young people, people from hard-to-reach and minority communities and people living in poverty – who we know are all suffering disproportionately due to the cost-of-living crisis and are now in an even more perilous position.

This is the time for Dorset Mind to be bolder than ever, as we fight to ensure even more people get support and respect. I’d like to thank you enormously for being on this journey with us, supporting us - and committing with us to making mental health everybody’s business.

Linda O’Sullivan, CEO, Dorset Mind.

Linda O'Sullivan with Placement Student Holly Roser at our Away Day.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Reflection from our Co-Chairs, Board of Trustees

Dr Laurence Mynors-Wallis and Charles Alberts

As we reflect on the past year ending 31 March 2024, we are acutely aware of the profound impact that the current economic climate and an unsettled global landscape have on mental health. This turbulence in our world has heightened anxiety and uncertainty for many, and we have seen a growing need for mental health support across Dorset. Now, more than ever, it is vital to keep our beneficiaries and their needs at the core of everything we do.

The challenges facing the charitable sector have never been more pressing. With increasing demand for services and a squeeze on funding, it has been a difficult time for Dorset Mind and the third sector more broadly. However, despite these obstacles, we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing accessible mental health support. We are especially grateful to our dedicated team of staff and volunteers, whose resilience and commitment have enabled us to adapt and continue delivering our services.

Together, we can extend our reach and impact, ensuring more people receive the help they need. This year, we welcomed new Trustees to our Board who add essential skills and expertise to drive Dorset Mind forward. With the entire Board's support, we have developed a clear strategy aimed at strengthening our organisation and maximizing our ability to make a difference.

We also owe a deep debt of gratitude to our volunteers, ambassadors, and patrons, who contribute their time, energy, and passion to our cause. We are also grateful to all our community fundraisers, corporate partners and grant makers whose contributions enhance our ability to reach those who need us most.

Looking ahead, we are optimistic as we know that ‘Together is Better’ and together we will continue to make a positive difference to the mental health and wellbeing of our community.

Thank you for your unwavering support.

Dr Laurence Mynors-Wallis and Charles Alberts

We recognise that our mission cannot be achieved alone. Our partnerships within the mental health sector are more critical than ever, and we are committed to fostering greater collaboration with other organisations.

Left to right: Top Row – Jonathan Wootten, Jane Burns (Secretary to the Board), Samuel Crompton, Elaine Hurll, Karen Butcher, Calvin Glen, Charles Alberts.

Front Row – Ben Lawes, Dr Laurence Mynors-Wallis, Dr Ros Maycock.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Comments from our Patron

Dr Andy Mayers

This year has continued to bring challenges, and Dorset Mind has once again risen to meet them with resilience and determination. I am thrilled to see our services expand, addressing critical mental health needs across Dorset. One highlight has been the growth of our men’s mental health support group, in partnership with AFC Bournemouth’s Community Sports Trust. Men often face barriers to accessing mental health support, and this group provides a safe, welcoming space tailored to their needs.

Our Active Monitoring 1-2-1 service also continues to make a powerful impact, now reaching more GP surgeries across Dorset and supporting both adults and young people. Dorset Mind’s strength lies in its strategic partnerships, and our active role in conversations with NHS Dorset, Dorset Healthcare, and other key organisations has further solidified our position in Dorset’s mental health network.

Also, our Eco in Mind programme continues to support young people and uses ecotherapy to support young people who struggle with school attendance, allowing them to explore mental health through sustainable horticulture and creative projects. Dorset Mind remains committed to expanding its reach and impact, and I look forward to seeing how we continue to grow in the coming year.

I’m especially proud of the fact we have formed a new partnership with DorPIP looking forward. I am a Trustee for that Dorset-based charity. The main aim for DorPIP focuses on therapeutic support to parents of infants up to two-years-old to enhance parent-infant relationships. One reason why these relationships can be compromised is poor perinatal mental health. I am an expert in this area, hence my involvement with DorPIP. The new partnership with Dorset Mind for the Mums in Mind project is vital to help ensure that children in Dorset have the very best start in life.

Dr Andy Mayers, Dorset Mind Patron

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024 Our Impact Across Dorset, we reached 9,086 people with DIRECT support! Helping: 5,506 Adults with 1-2-1 and group wellbeing support 154 Adults by email 46 People by phone 493 Children & Young People with 1-2-1 and group support 8 Parents With a wellbeing workshop Speaking to: 2,799 people at events who were listened to and carefully signposted to support Training and supporting: 88 Active Volunteers These figures were from January to March 2024 only dorsetmind.uk • #getdorsettalking 7*

Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

What we did

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Operations - Adult Services

Active Monitoring

Active Monitoring is Dorset Mind’s flagship service, providing 1-2-1 support for adults and young people, accessed through GP surgeries.

In the current financial year, we expanded our reach by adding an additional Primary Care Network (PCN), bringing the total to six PCNs across which the service is now delivered. These include Bournemouth Central PCN, Poole Central PCN, Purbeck PCN, Weymouth and Portland PCN, Poole North PCN, and North Bournemouth PCN.

Our team has grown to nine Adult Active Monitoring Practitioners who are now providing support across 30 surgeries.

Unfortunately, due to funding constraints, our contract with South Coast Medical Group had to end. We are eager to restart discussions with the PCN to potentially reintroduce the service early next year.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

2,014 adults have been supported over three years

73.02%

of participants had a reduction in depression symptoms (PHQ-9)(PHQ-9 scores showed a significant improvement, from 12 to 8)

The service has had

557 attendances in the last three years

70.65%

of participants had a reduction in anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 scores showed a significant improvement, from 11 to 7)

72.36%

of participants had a reduction in their wellbeing symptoms (WEMWBS scores showed a significant improvement, from 36 to 43)

Key Achievements:

The Access Wellbeing Hub

Dorset Mind's Active Monitoring support service at the Access Wellbeing Hub began on 29th January 2024. Initially, we provided weekly sessions on Monday afternoons. However, starting from 8th April 2024, we expanded our offering to full-day sessions on Mondays.

These sessions are specifically for patients of Poole Central PCN, in accordance with their terms. Between 29th January and 15th July 2024, we supported 16 patients at the Hub. Feedback from patients indicated that they felt safe with our practitioner and that the face-to-face interaction was crucial in their decision to seek support at the Hub.

Our Adult Active Monitoring Practitioner Georgie at Poole Central PCN, who works at the Hub, said:

“It’s very exciting to be involved in this new innovative project, which will be such a positive place for people to come and access services for their wellbeing journey. It really feels like it’s the way forward for mental Health accessibility for the public and communication between the services.”

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Sound Bath Sessions at East Way Clinic

To support the PCNs' strategy of delivering both clinical and non-clinical care by embracing a holistic approach, one of our Service Team Leaders, Mery, generously started offering relaxing Gong Bath sessions for participants of the Living Mindfully group at East Way Clinic, part of Bournemouth Central PCN.

These sessions were designed to cater to the diverse needs of every patient.

Mery has successfully delivered five sessions to date, which have been highly beneficial. In recognition of our efforts, the PCN chose to make a donation to Dorset Mind as a gesture of appreciation.

Participants of the Living Mindfully Group experiencing a sound bath, delivered by our Service Team Leader, Mery

Menopause Pathway

Dorset Mind has played a crucial role in shaping the new Menopause pathway for the Adult Active Monitoring services, which is available to all local Minds that offer Adult Active Monitoring.

We have also dedicated significant effort to creating an accessible video for GPs and healthcare staff within the PCNs. This Menopause pathway includes newly developed materials, featuring a full main booklet and supplementary resources on topics like understanding menopause, the role of hormones, and managing menopause treatment. This initiative has been instrumental in advancing our commitment to providing exceptional care to our patients.

Additionally, we have supported the Menopause Peer Support Groups at Bournemouth University on various occasions. As one of our valued partners, we believe this work has significantly contributed to our ongoing commitment to collaboration and serving our community's mental health needs in the best possible way.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

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Developing Resources at national level

The Active Monitoring team has played a pivotal role in developing new resources for the Mind network.

Building upon the success of the Menopause pathway, we initiated discussions with our Adult and Young People Services teams on a range of relevant and current topics we’d seen grow in prevalence, such as hormonal changes in young people, neurodiversity, and chronic pain.

Our teams have presented the urgent need for these resources and pathways in meetings to National Mind, providing them with up-to-date research to underscore their importance – with the intention to develop further resources. National Mind is currently in the process of actioning these requests.

Learning Peer-Supported Open Dialogue (POD)

POD (Peer Assisted Open Dialogue) is a therapeutic approach and service delivery model that has gained traction in Dorset.

POD works with the person who needs help and the significant people in their support network. The format is a meeting that links in different services who will working in partnership to provide solution for the participant together. This approach gives people far more control over what is happening to them as the participant is actively involved in their own care and supported by their network.

Around 40 Practitioners across Dorset, including our Active Monitoring Team Leader David Sutherland were intensively trained to deliver POD. David started the course in September 2023 and qualified as a POD Practitioner.

David has successfully conducted sessions since at various locations and is eager to further embed POD within Dorset Mind and other organisations in the region. David envisages Dorset Mind becoming a leading deliverer of POD, offering services to individuals, families, and healthcare organisations. He is keen to help develop this initiative while exploring further training in family psychotherapy.

Group of POD Practitioners that trained in Cambridge

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Active Monitoring Feedback

“ The weekly phone chats helped me to keep on track and focused on the steps I tried to do for my wellbeing. It really helped to break down the steps to help me be in control of my actions and choices. All the little steps helped me to gradually get out of the ‘dark place’ I’ve been stuck for months. I also feel that I will be able to apply these simple steps and coping strategies if I feel that I’m falling again. I’m very grateful for the support, thank you so much”

Active Monitoring Client, July 2023

“ I have found Active Monitoring very beneficial. I didn’t have to wait very long for it to start and I found the course of 6 sessions enough to see things differently and bring about some changes. My practitioner was a gentle and empathetic guide, and I found all the Mind ‘workbooks’

really helpful. It was empowering thinking about things on my own, with the help of the workbooks, with the added benefit of then discussing them with him. He kept me on track and provided a kind and encouraging structure to the course. ”

Active Monitoring Client, June 2023

“ In a nutshell I was mentally done in, depressed, very low self-esteem/ belief, anxious in a bad place. I had been isolating through Covid and beyond with constant mood swings!!!!

I ended up accepting this is how life was meant to be for the foreseeable future…. Until close family members and two remaining friends said I should seek help for all the symptoms I was showing… After visiting my doctor, he agreed that I was showing all the signs of depression which the hospital also had confirmed etc.

My doctor put me on the waiting list for Dorset Mind. After a while a practitioner contacted me, and over the next couple of months she listened to me intensely and with her brilliant expertise straightened me out and changed my way of thinking from negative to positive!! To stop assuming and to work with facts. It’s ok to get strange thoughts now and again it’s how we react to them that’s important. To stop catastrophic thinking by putting up a simple RED STOP SIGN IN MY MIND….

It took time and I can’t begin to explain what else we talked about it would take way too long. All I know is that for the time being she changed my thought pattern by a couple of degrees and it has changed my direction to avoid the iceberg that I had kept visualising!!!!!!!! ”

Active Monitoring Client, March 2024

A special ‘thank you’ to our service delivery partners for their continuous support and openess to collaborate:

Bournemouth Central PCN, North Bournemouth PCN, North Poole PCN, Poole Central PCN and the teams at the access Wellbeing Hub in Poole, Purbeck PCN and Weymouth and Portland PCN.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Triage

The aim of Triage is to reduce the demand of GP appointments for mental health related issues. It helps provide earlier access for patients and improves the pathways to existing services by providing a safe and structured triage assessment, freeing up doctors and specialist workers to run the interventions.

The Triage service was set up in January 2023 and intended to provide a direct, first contact service for patients experiencing mental health difficulties. The service was accessed through the patient’s GP surgery.

Assessments were offered with a trained Dorset Mind Mental Health Practitioner via telephone.

A triage call is a 20 minute in–depth, fact finding assessment for people over 18 presenting with any non-clinical mental health difficulties such as stress, anxiety, depression, low mood, bereavement, and anger.

After the assessment, a patient would be signposted to the relevant service which might include Steps 2 Wellbeing, Help and Care, Dorset Mind services or services from other local organisations. They might also be referred to their doctor for additional support.

Just 35% of 3,779 patients seen needed a further appointment with their GP following their triage assessment. This might be for medication queries, fit notes, referrals to the Community Mental Health Teams or Physical Health concerns.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Triage Feedback

“ Excellent Service. I was very emotional on the phone and the lady was so kind and supportive. She really made me feel at ease and gave me lots of information that I could access which she sent via text, which was helpful.

I felt so much better just for talking to her for 20 minutes and grateful that the GP receptionist thought to book me in, otherwise I would have had a 5 week wait for a GP appointment.”

Triage Client, April 2023

“ Finally felt someone was listening to my concerns.”

Triage Client, January 2024

Triage Stats

3,779 Adults were supported between January to end March 2024

454 DNAs (Did not attend appointments)

Maisie is our Triage and Services Team Leader

“ I was able to open up and speak without interruption and quite honestly, I couldn't be more grateful for the kind and courteous mannerism that was provided from the start. I was allowed to say what was on my mind without interruption and felt in very good hands.

Top marks to the friendly service I received by the lady who called me and would like to thank her in-person if I could. Many thanks.”

Triage Client, May 2023

“ Appointment was longer than general GP appointment so was not rushed and has plenty of time to discuss everything without feeling pressured. Staff member was really friendly and understanding and was easy to open up to, especially when speaking about sensitive subjects.”

Triage Client, December 2023

Information Services Mailbox Signposting

Reacting to a desire to improve access to Dorset Mind Services, we employed an Information Officer just before this financial year in February 2024.

Our knowledgeable team provide a vital information service by empathetically and efficiently signposting local people in Dorset to access the right support mental health support - whether it is within Dorset Mind or via external organisations and statutory services. Since the new Information started, the Information Services team have received and supported a total of 200 enquiries.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024 sats

Adult Counselling

Adult Counselling provides a low-cost counselling service, meeting the needs of adults across the county of Dorset. The reach is achieved by offering an online service, so that location isn’t a barrier – unless there is a poor Wi-Fi connection.

Our self-referral process enables people seeking Counselling to book an initial assessment online. The model we use is a goal orientated, Person-Centred Model. The Counselling Team comprises both Placement and Qualified Counsellors, enabling us to find a suitable match for clients, based on the experience and specialisms our counsellors offer.

Adult Counselling Feedback “ Definitely in a better place than I was more positive and hopeful about the future. ”

Counselling Participant, March 2024

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

CASE STUDY: EXPERIENCE AS A VOLUNTEER COUNSELLOR

Holly began volunteering with Dorset Mind, initially as a Befriender and later as a Volunteer Counsellor. Holly works in a person-centred way, believing in the importance of creating a safe and nonjudgemental space for clients.

“ Starting my placement with Dorset Mind in May 2023, I was able to build my client hours quickly, reaching four clients within a few weeks. This helped me to progress rapidly, gaining confidence in my practice.

As I grew more comfortable, I increased my caseload to five clients per week, and by September, I had completed over half of my required hours. Dorset Mind’s support throughout, particularly through regular supervision, made the experience seamless and truly rewarding and I'd recommend it to any trainee ”

Counselling statistics:

64 Adults were supported between April 2023 and March 2024

399 Attendances were recorded over 12 months

81.48% of participants rated the sessions good or very good.

86% of participants had a reduction in their depression symptoms. (PHQ-9 – average scores decreased from 12.79 to 6.93)

93% of participants had a reduction in their anxiety symptoms (GAD-7 – average score decreased from 9.93 to 4.64)

Holly, March 2024

A special ‘thank you’ to:

Holly taking part in the Dorset Plane Pull in August this yeat, alongside Pauline - they are both volunteer councellors

ALL our volunteers that make the delivery of this service possible. You're all heroes!

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Mentoring Minds

Mentoring Minds is a 1-2-1 service that matches participants with our trained volunteers who encourage them to set small, achievable wellbeing goals.

This helps reduce isolation, build social skills and increase confidence while learning tools and skills over six months to help manage and maintain positive mental health and wellbeing.

Our Mentoring Minds Service supports the Dorset community as a goal-lead service based upon the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ which is an evidence-based set of 5 steps proven to improve wellbeing. Connecting to other people, getting active, learning, taking notice, and giving back can all contribute to improving a participant’s mental wellbeing and confidence. This can be achieved by setting smaller realistic goals with our participants. Over time, the increment of smaller steps will lead to a life-changing impact in some cases.

We were able to re-introduce face-to-face sessions this year which help reduce isolation experienced by participants and builds the relationship and trust quickly with their volunteer.

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Mentoring Minds statistics:
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97 individuals supported over 12 months.

77%

of participants had an improvement or maintained their level of wellbeing

88%

of participants rated the support available at the service ‘good’ or ‘very good.’

BCP Coordinator John with our Rural Coordinator Emma.

A special ‘thank you’ to:

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024
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Mentoring Minds Feedback: From our participants:

“ I can only comment on my mentor Sean and recommend his understanding and diplomacy. His advice came from a professional consultant and shared personal experience helped me and he was always a positive personality. Befriending is a positive experience that everyone can take away inspiration for an improved outlook with positive and progressive help towards alleviating negativity.”

Mentoring Mind Participant, June 2023

“ My mentor has been like a blanket for me! Always there and comforting!”

Mentoring Mind Participant, June 2023

“The reassurance I had from (Dorset) Mind after difficult calls made me feel so much better and supported. It made me reflect on how we could better support each other as teachers within the primary school I work at. ”

Mentoring Minds Participant, September 2023

“ 'I'd just like to say thank you to my mentor for all he did for me over the last few months, I'm sure I have a way to go yet to sort myself out but he did manage to open my eyes to a lot of positive things I couldn't do by myself, it's been good to get to know him and I consider him a friend now, he’s very good at his job so I know many more people that are struggling will benefit from his help.”

Mentoring Minds Volunteer, February 2024

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Community Groups for Adults and Young people

Dorset Mind's Community Services have made a significant impact to people’s lives by offering a safe space and regular support for local people across Dorset.

We achieved this by delivering twelve diverse support groups, programmes, and workshops. We provided essential wellbeing, psycho-education, and social support for individuals facing common mental health challenges, hardships, or social isolation.

Below is an overview of our community services:

Ř[The ] [‘Connected Minds Programme’] provides early intervention for 10-13-yearolds with mild to moderate emotional issues and school-related challenges, supporting 25 young people in Dorchester and Weymouth.
Ř [‘SHIFT’][ is an intervention programme run in ] partnership with Pavilion Southwest Dance, that uses the superpower of dance to support young people aged 11-15 with their mental health and wellbeing.
Ř [‘Men in Mind’ ][focuses on men's mental ] health, offering physical activity and wellbeing support in collaboration with AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust.
Ř [‘MindOut’][ creates a safe space for the ] LGBTQI+ community, promoting selfexpression and mental resilience.
Ř [‘Women in Mind’][ offers a safe and ]
understanding environment where women with mental health challenges can support one another by sharing feelings and experiences. Led by an experienced facilitator, the group discusses a different topic each week, such as self-esteem, relationships, and emotional wellbeing.
Ř [‘Eco in Mind’][ provides practical support ] from our trained staff and volunteers to those with mental health problems. Our aim is to improve the quality of life experienced by our participants. We achieve this by supporting them to build confidence, selfesteem and resilience whilst connecting with nature and other people.
Ř [‘Wellbeing in Mind’][ focuses on educating ] people about common mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression. It helps participants recognise signs and symptoms and explores effective coping strategies. Held online via Zoom, the twohour sessions are drop-in and encourage participation at your own comfort level. The group fosters peer support, reducing stigma by normalising discussions about mental health, and offers an accepting and confidential space. Sessions include guided relaxation, peer support, and workshops on topics such as mindfulness, self-compassion, and psychoeducation.
Ř [‘Active in Mind’][ provides a safe and friendly ] group where we socialise with peers over a cuppa and participate in games and physical activity. The group welcomes people with mental health challenges who are looking to try new activities and build connections with others. This group is very popular and we run to sessions a week. Boardgames such as chess, Scrabble or backgammon, Sports such as pool and table tennis, Card games like UNO, Arts and crafts, Occasional walks Mindfulness activities.

These projects underscore Dorset Mind's commitment to making a positive and tangible impact in the community, addressing a wide spectrum of mental health needs and promoting wellbeing among diverse r: groups. 4

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Community Groups Feedback:

Community Group statistics:

“The women in mind group gave me hope for my future and my life. I'm beyond grateful for all the support I received from the group members and Vick. I think Vick is offering an absolutely fantastic support, I couldn't imagine someone else leading the group! To offer this service to people in struggle free of charge, apart from donations, is just wonderful, there isn't anything to improve in my opinion.”

254

adults and young people supported over 12 months

The service had 2,437 attendances in 12 months

Women in Mind Participant, March 2024

92.82% of polled participants recommended the group services (out of 2,192 attendances)

“A young participant who has only been to three sessions is now able to get to most of her lessons, which is just amazing as before attending the project they found it almost impossible to sit through even the first lesson”

98.6%

Eco in Mind Participant Parent, January 2024

of participants mood were improved or maintained over group sessions (out of 2,099 attendances)

“I liked being able to have a break from school and be able to make friends.”

Connected Minds Parent Feedback, March 2024

70.36%

“This service is now a crucial part of my

L) q of participants had an 1 | improvement or maintained[] 1 their level of wellbeing | myself..” (average scores increased from 38 to 42 points) |

weekly routine and I come away every week feeling better in my mind and about myself..”

| Men in Mind Participant, March 2024

A special ‘thank you’ to our service delivery partners:

And to our funders:

And to our volunteers:

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

CASE STUDY - AN EXAMPLE OF A DORSET MIND PATHWAY MODEL

This case focuses on a woman originally from Slovenia, who has demonstrated remarkable resilience and strength despite a challenging background. With a warm, empathetic, and open-hearted personality, she embodies self-awareness and determination. Her journey has been marked by significant childhood trauma and ongoing physical health issues, leading to extended hospital stays. Despite these difficulties, she has always been committed to personal growth, with a longstanding interest in psychology and self-help techniques.

Having relocated to a different country, she has struggled at times with cultural differences and a language barrier, which initially made her hesitant to join group activities. However, her creativity shines through her talents in baking, making jewellery, and crocheting, which she often shared in face-to-face sessions. She lives with her husband but lacks a large support network, relying primarily on her self-developed coping strategies.

Throughout her journey, she engaged with a variety of techniques and self-help tools that supported her mental well-being. These included self-compassion and self-care, mindfulness, journalling, positive affirmations, creative outlets (baking, crocheting, and jewellery-making), breathing techniques, setting healthy boundaries, managing overthinking and unhelpful thinking patterns

Journey and Outcomes:

February 2023 – Active Monitoring: She was first connected through Active Monitoring, focusing on areas such as low mood, overthinking, and a desire for connection. Her dedication to self-improvement, coupled with her openness to learning new techniques, made her a natural fit for further group support.

May 2023 – Wellbeing in Mind: After completing her initial six weeks with Active Monitoring, one of our AM Practitioners recommended her for a wellbeing group due to her positivity, self-awareness, and eagerness to help herself and others. Initially, her language barrier and fear of being misunderstood held her back, impacting her confidence and self-esteem. However, as she became more comfortable and felt accepted within the group, her true personality emerged. She brought positivity, support, and insight that inspired others. Her knowledge of self-help techniques and ability to manage her mental and physical health provided invaluable support and encouragement to her peers.

August 2024 – Volunteering with Mentoring Minds: After ten months in the group, her remarkable growth and commitment to her well-being inspired a conversation about taking on a volunteer role within Dorset Mind. With encouragement and confidence-building, she applied to join Mentoring Minds as a volunteer. Her lived experience and mental health knowledge made her exceptionally well-suited for this role, where she now provides mentorship and support to others on their journeys.

This participant’s journey from reluctant participant to trusted mentor highlights the power of resilience, self-compassion, and community support. Her transformation underscores the impact of tailored mental health interventions, particularly in fostering self-confidence and providing a sense of belonging. Today, she plays an active role in Dorset Mind, using her experiences to inspire and uplift others, marking a fulfilling new chapter in her life.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024
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Operations – Children and Young People Services

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024
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The Waiting Well Project

The Waiting Well Project which commenced in in the last financial year (April 2023) is partly funded by an anonymous local donor. The project aims to help young people maintain and improve their mental health and wellbeing and ensure they can access mental wellbeing support whilst they are waiting for statutory interventions such as CAMHS, and to help improve their school attendance.

As part of the project, we reviewed our Connected Minds programme which we successfully run in Dorchester. Our aim was to implement the programme across all localities in Dorset and BCP.

Connected Minds is a fully funded eight-week early intervention programme for 10-13 year olds (Years 6-8) experiencing mild to moderate anxiety and emotional problems and low attendance at school. The programme is designed to support children and young people at risk of not attending school on a regular basis or with behavioural problems with associated low to moderate mental health concerns such as low mood, anxiety and stress, low self-esteem and anger issues.

We successfully set up and facilitated the programme in Dorchester from April 2023 and East Dorset and Purbeck localities from March 2024. With the support from Local Alliance Groups (LAG’s) and the BCP Community grant scheme we will be expanding to West Dorset, Christchurch and North Dorset from September 2024 and Weymouth and Portland from January 2025.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

FEEDBACK QUOTES:

Participant/Young person

“Dropping out of school for a little bit. Really fun. Talking to new friends. Being a better person.” March 2024

“I know how to control my anger better.” June 2023

“I liked best - having a break from school and be able to make friends.” March 2024

Parents

“I feel that he has been a little calmer in school and that he is beginning to think about his responses and reactions.”

June 2023

“Absolutely! I have noticed a big change in my daughter’s confidence and ability to express how she is feeling and why.” March 2024

A special ‘thank you’ to East Local Alliance Group (LAG), West LAG, North LAG, Purbeck LAG – for providing us with funding for Connected Minds and rooms in Family Hubs.

School

“She seems happier when coming into school in the morning. When I see her around school, she is generally chatting to other children and seems happy.” March 2024

“Her attendance has improved over the last few weeks, especially on Monday mornings which tended to be the days she struggled to come in.” March 2024

“All the children are more confident in class. They are able to manage feelings, especially with other peers and discuss feelings /differences.” March 2024

Statistics:

23 young people 73% would rate the programme GOOD OR VERY GOOD

12 young people ][1] q 89% mood increased during and after sessions

18 responses from YP and parents 97% would recommend the programme

BCP Family Hub community grant scheme – Funding for Connected Minds

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

CASE STUDY - CONNECTED MINDS PROGRAMME PARTICIPANT

What is their mental health story?

This young person was referred due to their anxiety and vulnerability. They had little confidence and self-belief prior to starting the programme and were having issues with peers in school that were making them feel worried and anxious.

What support was given to the participant?

The first few weeks consisted of the young people becoming aware and trying to understand their own and other people’s feelings and emotions. We did this through completing various fun psycho-educational activities, games and tasks. As the weeks progressed, we looked at our Big Feelings with a big emphasis on looking at Anxiety. We looked at what anxiety was, how it felt in our bodies and whether it is good or bad. We then completed a range of activities that helped and supported the individuals with their self-esteem and confidence. We completed a positive self-talk activity and a positive stroke activity which encouraged the individuals to talk positively about themselves and to give themselves/other people compliments. The latter sessions consisted of looking at the five ways to well-being and identifying coping strategies to help the young person moving forward.

How has the support helped and what have been the positive outcomes?

This young person’s mental health seems to have improved. They are attending school more and their self-esteem has grown, and they have become more confident in themselves. They have made friends with other like-minded individuals and have bettered their social and relationship building skills.

Feedback

Participant Feedback - The participant explained that they found the programme very helpful and have stated that they now know more about mental wellbeing after finishing the programme. The participant also stated that they have learnt more about how to interact with others.

School Feedback - The young person has been attending school more regularly and is now chattier and more outgoing in school. They have seemed more confident over the last few weeks, and they have been keener to join in with lessons.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Wellbeing Comics

As part of the Waiting Well project we asked young people how they would like to receive support. They said that they would prefer something that wasn’t online as they liked to use this kind of media for relaxation and fun.

In November 2023, we connected with two young people, Milla and Eddie from Falling Upwards. They had produced a wellbeing comic for young people which was so unique that we commissioned them to design five comics for Dorset Mind.

The comics are being scripted and drawn by Milla who herself has lived experience of mental ill health - and this really comes out in her honest and relatable words.

We have based the comics on the five Active Monitoring pathways: Anger, Anxiety and Stress, Low Mood, Grief and Loss and Low Self Esteem. So far two comics have been printed, Scrawl which covers Low Mood and Little Boxes which covers Grief and Loss. They have been really well received by the young people that we support through our services and is a brilliant accompaniment to our pathways.

a OS ae

A MASSIVE thank you to Milla Scott-Buller and Eddie Rose or Falling Upwards – for their insightful contribution including content and illustrations of our delightful comics.

Mentoring Minds for Young People

In 2023 we were awarded a pot of funding to pilot Mentoring Minds for young people. This new service offers young people, aged 11 - 18 years, who have already accessed our Active Monitoring program via their GP surgery the opportunity to work with a volunteer mentor for a further six sessions.

The mentoring volunteer is given background information on the young person they are working with and information on what they have been working on during their Active Monitoring sessions. They can then talk about their goals and understand what they have found most helpful and translate that into their everyday life.

Feedback:

“It's been really helpful to start more communication around anxiety and emotions within our home. To be secure in knowing that these feelings are OK to have, and how to talk about it, and learn how to not let anxiety control you.”

June 2024

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Active Monitoring for young people in Primary Care Networks (PCNS)

This service began in September 2023 to complement the service we deliver for adults and accessed freely at GP surgeries. Four Primary Care networks (PCN’s) Poole North, Poole Central, Central Bournemouth and Purbeck were contracted to support the 1-2-1 guided self-help service for young people aged 11-18.

We actively started the service in November 2022 and by April 2024 we had reached 393 young people. They successfully completed the assessment and 5½ hour sessions of Active Monitoring.

Another 46 young people were signposted to other services more suited to their mental health concern.

Active Monitoring in PCNs Statistics:

65% of participants improved or maintained their wellbeing (SWEMWBS)

92% of participants improved their mood during the session (Mood scores)

100% rated the 1-2-1 sessions good or very good

92% would recommend the 1-2-1 sessions to a peer

Participants/young people feedback:

PCN’s feedback:

“For the past three years, we’ve collaborated with Dorset Mind, beginning with the Adult Active Monitoring service and later expanding to include the Children and Young People Active Monitoring Service.

Their integration into our PCN has been smooth, with practitioners joining our established Self-

Management Team. Working alongside our social prescribers, health coach, and care coordinators, they provide comprehensive, holistic, non-clinical care for our patients. With access to SystemOne, they eliminate the need for external referrals, streamlining the patient experience while ensuring data remains secure.”

Service Manager, Central Bournemouth PCN, September 2024

“It was helpful and now I feel I know a lot more about how I've been feeling than I did before.” ”

Young Participant, May 2024

“Talking about the good things I can do when I'm angry and the unsafe ways of being angry.”

Young Participant, March 2023

“This service is a valuable addition

to our team. Investing in the health and wellbeing of young people is an investment that must be maintained and will bear fruits in the future . We love working with Dorset Mind, and are grateful for the support.” GP, May 2024

A special ‘thank you’ to our service delivery partners for their continued support: Bournemouth Central PCN, North Poole PCN,

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CYP Counselling

Dorset Mind delivered low-cost counselling to 11 to 17-year-olds, working with local schools to provide six sessions of counselling for young people struggling with problems affecting everyday life. Our counsellors help young people explore the issues they are experiencing, supporting them to find different coping strategies and a way forward.

Outcomes are monitored using YPCORE evaluations and client feedback:

72% - showed increased wellbeing

2% - maintained their wellbeing

16% - decreased wellbeing

Young people with a decreased wellbeing score were signposted to other appropriate services or their GP. In some cases they are waiting for support from the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), due to the complex nature of their mental health needs.

CYP Counselling Feedback – following assessment and six sessions of counselling:

“ I enjoyed having someone i could trust and talk to0; I would use this service again if I feel I need to.”

CYP Counselling Participant, January 2024.

Recommend 100%

Counselling statistics: 25 unique participants.

A special ‘thank you’ to:

86% Rated the session good or very good.

The Trustees of The Ferndown Centre and Somerford Arc for providing us counselling rooms.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Monta taking on the 34km Jurassic Coast Challenge Va: Capea

Monta at the Finish = 2=_ C ailelle i Line with her medal

Volunteers

We are so grateful for our wonderful volunteers that give their time and energy to help us help local people. We have had a regular commitment from our volunteers, some have joined in the last year, some have been with us for many years.

Volunteers have supported us in many ways; helping facilitate various support groups, working on our Eco in Mind site, helping at events and working 1-2-1 with participants through our Mentoring Minds service that offers support to help regain the community.

We have joined a new Learning Management System, meaning we can offer over 4,000 free training courses to our volunteers alongside set training, which has enhanced our volunteering offer. We have also improved our Dorset Mind inductions, combining volunteers and employees together for ‘welcome mornings’ with a full afternoon of induction training in-person that covers topics such as ‘Boundaries and Resilience,’ ‘The Five Ways to Wellbeing’ and ‘Managing Difficult Conversations.’

This has been a great success, and it has proven a wonderful opportunity to encourage employees and volunteers from different departments to get to know each other right from the start of their Dorset Mind journey.

We have welcomed two placement students from Bournemouth University, Holly Roser and Monta Melanija who gave their support to our marketing and events team. Both students grew immensely in confidence and experienced a wide range of ‘hands-on' duties within the team. They made a real impact on our capacity to raise awareness and fundraise, and additionally on our colleagues and volunteers that worked with them.

The opportunities we can offer students are beneficial for both parties: we can provide learning and development opportunities as well as life and work experience, whilst they can build and enhance what we are able to offer local people needing our support.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

“ A really lovely, supportive, professional organisation to volunteer for!”

May 2023

“ Thoroughly enjoyed witnessing my participants amazing journey and knowing I'm making a positive impact.”

August 2023

“ I really enjoy volunteering with Dorset Mind, and I feel a sense of accomplishment and belonging here. I feel proud of myself for all the hard work I do!”

May 2023

Volunteering statistics:

Based on an average staff wage at the charity, Dorset Mind volunteers worked the equivalent of £131,868.50

Volunteers contributed over 6,430 hours !

100%

of volunteers said they were proud to be volunteering for Dorset Mind (Volunteering survey 2023)

87.5% of volunteers would recommend volunteering at Dorset Mind to their family and friends

“ Volunteering with Dorset Mind has been an amazing experience, and usually any area that needs work is addressed and handled in a timely manner. This means that I can do my role effectively, so I know that anything that I have mentioned in this survey will be looked at and considered which I appreciate, knowing that even though I'm a volunteer my opinion matters”

May 2023

Monta and Marie Glen at the Bournemouth Bay Run - after Monta ran it!

Holly and Evie at Bournemouth University for an Awareness Event

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Dorset Mind Ambassadors

Our ambassadors meet monthly and help support our strategy by representing us online and in person at events and fundraising activities. We ensure that our team is supported in their role with regular meetings, check-ins and training. This year, we encouraged the team to drive the content of their monthly meetings and content, taking turns to chair and steer.

The photograph shown above was from a social event in July, when we introduced our Ambassadors to our Trustees and Patrons. During this year, twelve ambassadors dropped to eight – Calvin became a Trustee, the youngest in the Mind network, bringing his experience of mental health and knowledge of Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services to help shape our strategy.

We encourage our team to share their lived experience online across their own social media and to contribute towards Dorset Mind content.

Importantly, they visibly lead by example – inspiring them to if they experience a dip in their own wellbeing, they document it to encourage people to reach out for support when needed.

Ambassador Lucy continues to write informative blogs for our website and monthly editorials for local magazines, using her experience gained as an Assistant Psychologist to provide a clinical narrative.

Chandy led a workshop for his fellow Ambassadors on public speaking and sharing their lived experience – he also shared his own experience as a former student and social worker with the cohort of Bournemouth University students alongside Dee, which helped inspire the students and give them a very real account of what to expect when they graduate. Craig, Megan and Lucy also spoke to the students, giving them valuable insight into mental health and how it had impacted them.

Natalie, Ty and Megan contributed towards our renewed young people’s Waiting Well project, using their business and lived experience and Toby shared posts on his socials to inspire people to keep active.

Ty with Dan Chambers, Dom Hutchinson and Dee and Evie

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

FOCUS ON: TY TEMEL

Ty is one of our longest-standing Ambassadors - and uniquely he’s also a charity partner.

Back in 2018, local businessman and entrepreneur Ty approached Dorset Mind, wanting to help the charity, following the devastating loss of one of his friends to suicide. Simultaneously, we had heard about this via several sources, as the impact of suicide ripples through local communities.

He headed the campaign himself, alongside friends Jamie Whisken, fitness Coach and Poole Town Footballer, and Benjamin Banks Reynolds, then owner of Lost Nightclub. All three took part and inspired a new fitness community.

Ty wanted to take action and raise awareness of men’s mental health locally - and help support a charity that was delivering support in his hometown. This was how our long-term partnership was born, from this tragedy something positive occurred.

Since 2018, Ty has generated the largest amount that a single person or business has for Dorset Mind (excluding grant making organisations) – supporting the charity in numerous ways. Initially financially through his charity boxing matches and events such as evenings with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, Ty has also made numerous introductions and brought partners to the charity, most recently Running Free in Ashley Cross, Poole.

During 2020 and Covid 19, Ty had to close his event and nightclub businesses and found himself experiencing financial and mental challenges as the world shut down. To counteract his boredom, Ty set himself a challenge: to become a runner, having always been inspired by his Mum, a keen runner. In the first few weeks of lockdown Ty started the Couch to 5km, and just a few weeks later he was regularly running 10km. Ty ran his first marathon in May 2020 and documented his progress online – and the response he received from his online following has helped change his direction since.

Recognising that lockdown isolation was resulting in people needing to belong to something, Ty created a challenge that people could take part in – The June 500 .

The June 500 Fundraiser - Jamie Whisken, Ty Temel and Benjamin Banks-Reynolds

During the month of June, people were encouraged to run, swim or cycle 500km, whilst raising essential funds for Dorset Mind. Getting active and getting outside as we know improves wellbeing, so it also benefited our participants. Through documenting their efforts online, we also benefitted from over 120 people posting about their 98 fundraisers!

This challenge remains the single largest challenge for Dorset Mind, generating over £42,000 and Ty and Jamie went on to create a fitness brand ‘R1SE,’ opening a gym in Bournemouth.

Since then, Ty has created several other fundraisers, notably the Step-Up Challenge in November the same year that raised £33,414 . He was also instrumental in organising the National 3 Peaks challenge in 2023 and he was also behind Mind Over Matter’s 4 x 4 x 48 Goggins Challenge in January 2024.

We remain inspired by Ty and always grateful for his support.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Student Placement Holly, Dee, Former Student Placement Billie and Patron Dr Andy Mayers

Strategic Partnerships

During this financial year, forging strategic partnerships became a high priority. We worked with statutory services such as NHS Dorset and Dorset Healthcare, key Commissioners and organisations that we had identified would help us deliver our ambitious strategy to deliver services fully across Dorset to reach more people that need our help.

We undertook a mapping exercise of our own services and partners to identify our current reach – and where we had gaps – and created a measured approach to build partnerships that sat within ours and the Mind Network’s three key priorities: Poverty, Young People, and Hard to reach communities.

We also added Suicide as a focus for Dorset Mind. In Dorset, we have a considerably higher than average suicide rate for a combination of reasons. ONS figures are published one year in arrears. Meaning that for this financial year, we were looking at figures published in November 2022 (relating to 2021) and November 2023 (relating to 2022).

In 2021, there were a total of 88 deaths by suicide in Dorset, up 16% from the previous year. In Dorset the number of deaths remained the same, at 43, but in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole there were 45 deaths, up 36% from 33 the previous year.

In 2022, there were a total of 102 suicides in Dorset, up 16% from the previous year. In Dorset the number of deaths decreased 22% to 35, but in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole there were 67 deaths, up 56% from 2021.

There are no quick-fix solutions to this problem. But this fueled our desire to become part of the solution – working in collaboration and providing easily accessible early intervention mental health services, to help people at their time of need – but also help support people’s journeys towards recovery.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Working in Collaboration

The Dorset Community Mental Health Alliance exemplified working together. Dorset Mind created this initiative to bring the third sector, statutory services and other agencies together in late 2020 to collaborate and learn from each other, as part of the county’s suicide prevention agenda.

During the four years the Alliance has been operating, its success has been bringing over 40 third sector organisations together with statutory services, including Dorset Healthcare, NHS Dorset, Public Health Dorset and Dorset Police.

CAN CEO Karen Loftus, Laura, Dee and the team from Health Bus

Highlights include:

Ř[An essential opportunity to ] network (third-sector providers had commented they feel isolated)
Ř[Access to models of good practice ] and local / national agendas
Ř[A forum to break down barriers ] between the voluntary and statutory sectors - ensuring a far better understanding of the pressures both faces and acknowledging the need to work together
Ř[Actively encouraging the creation of ] new partnerships
Ř[Updates on the new Integrated Care ] System

Dorset Voluntary Community Sector Expo - 9th April 2023

Community Action Network (CAN) brought together the third sector, health and wellbeing organisations, councils and the Universities at Bournemouth University.

Inspiring keynote speakers were Dr Paul Johnson, Chief Medical Officer at NHS Dorset and Debra Allcock-Tyler, Chief Executive at The Directory for Social Change. Time was allocated for essential networking – which was essential to increase our knowledge of other organisations. There are 7,000 charities working across Dorset and it’s our policy to signpost to external support if we are not the appropriate source of help for people that approach us.

Dorset Mind was one member organisation selected by CAN to feature in a film showcasing the mental health support we offer and the impact our staff and volunteers make on the lives of local people across Dorset.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Participants at the Shaftesbury Community Front Room

Supporting North Dorset

Following on from the success of the ‘Better Together’ event, hosted by Mental Health North Dorset in association with Dorset Mind at the end of March, we further cemented relationships with key organisations in Shaftesbury, visiting Eileen Crew at HOPE Projects, who deliver the Shaftesbury Community Front Room and other support including a Cycle Repair Service and Gardening Social Enterprise that supports local people.

Dee, Eileen Crew and CEO Linda

We also met with Melanie Costas of Rural Mental Health Matters, who advocates for the mental health needs of rural North Dorset and the accessibility issue faced due to lack of services, reliable public transport and other factors.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

CASE STUDY: CITIZENS ADVICE

Poverty and the Cost-of-Living Crisis took hold in this financial year – we saw people who were trying to recover from the impact of covid hit with financial worries as Bounce-back loans had to be paid and inflation increased to unprecedented levels. The cost of food, petrol and rent saw many people fall into poverty.

Dorset Mind initially worked with Citizens Advice Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP), having won a bid from National Mind in 2021 to provide third sector Keyworkers with training and counselling to help support their staff and prevent them from burnout and compassion fatigue.

We realised we had a huge cross-over in people that both charities helped – clients approaching Citizens Advice for food/fuel poverty and cost-of-living issues often had mental health problems – and vice-versa in that poor mental health can often affect how you deal with money.

We began to explore whether we could work together in partnership:

Ř[In June 2023, ] [two of our team presented at Citizens Advice BCP's Away Day] at the Vitality Stadium, with the aim of giving their team the knowledge they needed about the services we provide, in order to better support their clients.
Ř[We took part in ] [‘The Festive Cost-of-Living Support’][ event at The Dolphin, ] in Poole during November, alongside Citizens Advice, Samaritans, BCHA, and Prama. Teaming up with complimentary organisations gives people the chance to access support in one place – we were also able to signpost people to the Poole Wellbeing Hub in the Dolphin should they need further support.
Ř[We met with Citizens Advice Central in November and ] [delivered a session ] of support for their staff who had recently experienced an increase in clients facing anger. Our Active Monitoring Team Leader David spoke to staff about deescalating techniques and how to keep themselves from suffering burnout.
Ř[We also met the additional two branches in Purbecks and Bridport.]

This piece of work is ongoing, and we will continue to explore this.

Services Team Leader David, Dee and members of the BPC Indian Community

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

CASE STUDY: BOURNEMOUTH UNIVERSITY

With young people a key priority, Dorset Mind worked to strengthen links with the local universities. At Bournemouth University (BU), we were able to build upon opportunities created by our Patron Dr Andy Mayers through his position as Principal Academic.

In 2023/4, we significantly increased our presence on campus:

Ř[We ] [attended quarterly BU Catalyst Community Events][ from June 2023 – organised ] by Bournemouth University that brought together the third sector with the University’s faculties to encourage working together. It also gave us a much-needed opportunity to network.
Ř[We ] [organised an event for World ] Mental Health Day at BU on 10th October 2023, with Citizens Advice, BCHA and Bournemouth Samaritans, focusing on Cost-of-Living support.
Ř[In November, our team ] [presented ] to the Dorset Indian Society – this opportunity was created through networking at the first Catalyst Event. Although a small group, we had an open conversation and were able to help an attendee recognise that what they were feeling was related to mental health.
Ř[In January 2024, we ] [set Digital and ] Marketing Students a project to help break the stigma around mental health. The students focused on Men’s mental health and that of Young Carers’.

The Dorset Mind and Citizens Advice BCP Teams

Ř [We organised a Time to Talk Day event][ on 1st February 2024 with the same ] organisations to talk to students and BU’s staff about our services and mental health in general.
Ř[Our two student placement Volunteers, Holly and Monta, ] [attended the ‘Re-Freshers ] Fayre’ to help promote support – and opportunities for volunteers and fundraisers. They spoke to 77 students!
Ř [We supported the Health and Social Sciences Faculty][ by leading their Social Work ] students through a Lived Experience Project from December 2023 to February 2024. We organised opportunities for students to meet people with a variety of backgrounds and lived experience, for them to further understand the needs and rights of people living with poor mental health. The students met our staff, ambassadors, volunteers and participants from MindOut LGBT+ support group. Ambassador Chandy Green, himself a qualified social worker, delivered an in-depth session on ‘Relating Theory to Practice. With his own experience of OCD and anxiety, this really made learning ‘come alive’ for the students! They passed their module with flying colours.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Marketing and Digital Content

Raising mental health awareness features strongly in our strategy – as a preventative and educational tool that provides information to help educate and content to help inspire people of all ages in Dorset. We use key dates and anniversaries throughout the year to help encourage people to start a conversation about their mental health and live mentally healthy lives.

Key Campaigns:

We delivered 33 campaigns during the year - these in our calendar:

were the main events

Mental Health Awareness Week - May 15th to 21st 2023:

The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week was ‘Anxiety.’ This focus on anxiety followed a notable rise in anxiety and anxiety conditions since the lockdowns. We took this opportunity to raise awareness of the condition, signpost to the support we offer and create content about how to live with anxiety.

Highlights:

Ř[Media activity included a press release announcing our ] new website and promoted five awareness sessions at The Dolphin, Poole, commissioned specifically for MHAW. It was featured on Dorset Echo, Dorset Biz News and Dorset View.

Our Young Person Active Monitoring Team Leader Tracey and Tracey our practitioner

Ř[We also published two new blogs on our website and ] secured editorial content in the Sherborne Times, The BMV Magazine and Dorset View.
Ř[We teamed up with The Dolphin to deliver training ] sessions on ‘Your Mental Health Matters’ and ‘Challenging Unhelpful Thinking.’
Ř[We hosted two engagement events - giving visitors ] the chance to meet our Mentoring Minds and Active Monitoring Teams and find out more about our services.
Ř[Trustee Calvin Glen delivered a ‘Music and Mindfulness’ Workshop.]
Ř[On our website we featured banner and article content and used forms to register ] attendance
Ř[We secured Weymouth Clock Tower turning blue for the week!]
Ř[We launched our new-look website, featuring the updated Mind branding – and updating ] signposting, a cleaner user experience and importantly, the support we offer was given priority as the first menu item. We also took the opportunity to merge our two websites, this now incorporated our offer for young people.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Courageous Conversations Conference – 16th June 2023:

Our Courageous Conversations Conference focused on PTSD and trauma ahead of #ptsdawareness Day on 27th June.

Our Courageous Conversations Conference focused on PTSD and trauma ahead of PTSD Awareness Day on 27th June. It was introduced by Angus Campbell, Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset - also our Patron. 89 people attended and were asked to takeaway actions to help raise awareness of PTSD.

Our experienced trainers explored our topics, bringing them alive with their own lived experience and powerful contributions from Operation Surfwell and RNLI. After lunch we focused on recovery and how to get help.

Conference - The Lord Lieutenant of Dorset, Angus Campbell with Trustee Calvin & Linda

Highlights:

Ř[Promotion including a press release to announce FREE Community Conference; this ] was supported by social media content, including a Facebook event and posts on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Ř[On our website we featured banner and article content and used forms to register ] attendance and capture data.
Ř[Guest speakers comprised Dorset Police, RNLI, Dorset Parent Infant Partnership ] and STARS Dorset who spoke about how trauma impacted people in their organisations.
Ř[We secured sponsorship for the event from National Mind, EFL and AFC ] Bournemouth Community Sports Trust.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

World Mental Health Day – 10th October 2023:

For this World Mental Health Day, we followed the Mind network’s messaging which encouraged people to move past raising awareness and get involved in supporting us – it was #TimetoAct!

Highlights:

Three engagement events were held across the county:

Ř[In the conurbation, Dee and Evie hosted an ] information stand at Bournemouth University alongside Citizens Advice, BCHA and Samaritans again;

Ali Cliffe from Harmony with Dorset Mind's Nick Rowe and CEO Linda

Ř[In West Dorset, Nick, David and Linda attended Bridport’s ‘And Breathe...’ ] event to help promote Dorset Mind’s support across the county and WMHD.
Ř[Emma attended Shaftesbury Library – and was interviewed on This is Alfred Community ] Radio station about our support in North Dorset that included Mentoring and Eco in Mind.

Time to Talk Day – 1st February 2024:

Time to Talk Day brings people and communities together to talk about mental health. It’s known as the nation’s biggest mental health conversation, run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, in partnership with the Co-Op.

As part of the Mind family, we put our weight behind the campaign online, using it as a good reason to #GetDorsetTalking. The official hashtag we used was #TTTD2024.

Holly, Dee and Hayley from Citizens Advice and BCHA at Time to Talk Day, Bournemouth University

Highlights:

Ř[Media activity included a press release, and two Facebook ads to raise awareness of Time to Talk ] Day, using a call to action to find out more about our engagement events in North Dorset and at Bournemouth University.
Ř[Further social media posts helped organically publicise the events across LinkedIn, Instagram, X.]
Ř[We held three engagement events – at Shaftesbury Library, Bournemouth University, and at ] Eaton Aerospace. We invited our friends at Citizens Advice, Bournemouth Samaritans and BCHA to join us at the University to provide Cost of Living signposting and support for students, as a current issue upon people’s minds.
Ř[Our CEO Linda O’Sullivan was guest speaker at Speakers Collective free online seminar ] ‘Why we are taking Time to Talk.’

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Co-Ops Rachel Goode with Nick at Shaftesbury Library

FEEDBACK FROM THE TIME TO TALK DAY EVENT IN SHAFTESBURY LIBRARY:

“Time to Talk Day at Shaftesbury Library was such an uplifting experience.

We met some fantastic people with such interesting stories but were also able to direct them to help within their community of which they weren’t aware.

The library is a wonderful place to meet people and strike up conversations. A diverse group of people use the space and therefore we met people with a wide range of needs.

The staff at the library would welcome a frequent presence from Dorset Mind.

It was a brilliant way to showcase Dorset Mind's amazing services and provide outreach in an area we’ve been traditionally weak. Although we should acknowledge Emma Roper's great work with Mentoring Minds in the area (Emma is our Mentoring Minds Coordinator).

Emma asked a great question: “If we hadn’t spoken to those people today, who would have?”

The footfall was small, but that meant we gave the people we did meet lots of time, which they really appreciated.

Emma also made another excellent point, that it gave her wellbeing a massive boost too.

Rachel Goode from the Co-op was very interested in our work and said there was much need in Beaminster. She mentioned some funding opportunities might be available.

The day made me very proud to work for Dorset Mind.”

Nick Rowe, Dorset Mental Health Alliance Coordinator

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Our NEW Website:

Our new website launched in May during Mental Health Awareness Week. We conscientiously designed it to be more accessible in terms of the user experience and how people view it. We’ve ensured the navigation to our services is front and foremost – and above all, simple to use.

It’s now mobile friendly – we’ve built in forms so that people can self-refer for some of our services and apply for jobs or volunteer vacancies. It has helped cut down the need for people to download documents to complete them manually, which of course takes time.

We also worked on the contact page, whereby enquiries are now online and go directly to the department required rather than giving the viewer an email address. It’s helped simplify the process for us as well as the user and cut down on having multiple emails across the site to manage!

We received 68,523 unique users who engaged with our website 450,187 times, spending on average 1 minute online – longer on pages that contained forms. The home page was unsurprisingly the most visited page.

The ‘Contact’ and the ‘Work for us’ pages were the pages that people came straight to – followed by ‘Adult 121s.’ Counselling was the main service that people came directly to - not via ‘Adult 121s.’

Interestingly our ‘Donate’ page has had many more visits than the old website – and with the ability to offer donations via Credit Card or Paypal, it’s had a direct increase on the income obtained through this page.

Press Releases, Editorial and Radio:

Securing online press releases, features and radio interviews helps raise awareness of mental health and our charity and is an effective \ way to promote our services and fundraising initiatives. f

Here’s our stats:

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We issued
9 press
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which were . published 18 times

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We were
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online in news
articles .
40 times!
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i We secured
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We also gave Ls 12 monthly I Ye interviews ! on Sherborne’s Abbey 104 radio community programme y(i

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Social Media:

We made 1,077,803 impressions across our 9 social channels - and people engaged 32,997 times with our accounts! 9 Social 28,629 Channels! Followers These are Facebook, Instagram, Note – These figures were taken at end LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube. March 2024. We discontinued Dorset Mind Eco in Mind has a Facebook and Your Head’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts when the project ceased at end April Instagram account, Team Dorset 2023.. This meant 3,003 followers dropped in Mind has an Instagram account. the first month of this financial year. — oS Blogs: Our blog space tells real stories from people in our communities. We welcome content about any topic that relates to mental health and contains lived experience. This helps readers know that other people may have been through similar situations, and importantly, that they are not alone.

We published 24 blogs this year on a wide variety of topics. Bloggers wrote about their lived experience of mental health conditions such as Anorexia, Understanding Asperger’s, Workplace mental health, ADHD and Losing Grandad, a personal story of grief.

‘Becoming Charlotte: Two Years in Transition’ was a follow-up blog published just before International Trans Day of Visibility on 31st March 2024. In this blog, Charlotte revisits her journey and tells us about her successes, and challenges:

“Today, two years ago, I officially started a journey that was years overdue. In the past, I wished I could go back in time by 10-15 years and start my transition earlier. But all those years ago, I wouldn’t have been in a position to do everything that I have done now, whether due to financial constraints, denial, or poor mental health. I do wish I could go back in time and tell myself “It will be ok,” “You will make it, and those dreams will eventually be realized.”

‘Talking saved my life,’ published just before World Suicide Prevention Day on 10th September 2023, is Charlotte’s story of her battle with anxiety and depression:

“I absolutely loved my role, my confidence and mental wellbeing increased dramatically. I had found my sense of purpose and something I was good at. I got a promotion to coordinate the service in 2020, however I then experienced my dad living through a cardiac arrest in January – and then March 2020 arrived. We went into lockdown and so did my mental health.”

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

‘ADHD and me,’ published in June 2023, was our Practitioner Chloe’s experience of growing up with undiagnosed ADHD:

“It’s not hard to see why so many of us neurodivergents struggle to function in a world that wasn’t made for us. We may forget obligations, appointments, and important dates like birthdays. We’re often disorganised and struggle to prioritise tasks.

This isn’t because we don’t care, but because the part of our brain (called the prefrontal cortex) which deals with these higher order mental processes developed, and functions differently to that of a neurotypical person.”

Here's an excerpt from ‘My experience understanding Asperger’s,’ published on 18th April 2023 (Note, Asperger’s is no longer a standalone diagnosis - people with signs and symptoms of Asperger’s would now receive an Autism Spectrum Diagnosis, but this is our Blogger Sian’s words):

“My fear of the unknown began to change after being diagnosed with Asperger’s. This happened when I entered college, and it gave me the opportunity to understand myself better. At college, I took part in ! performing arts, which provided a less tense and more open environment to explore. I find adapting to the world around me difficult sometimes, like navigating a tricky sea storm. During my years at college, I discovered an outlet, where I could finally be myself.”

Older blogs feature in our Top 50 pages visited due to their SEO performing well include ‘Lesbian Visibility Day’ that was written by Katie from Space Youth Project with almost 3,200 visits and PCOS, Adenomyosis and me , written by a former staff member to highlight this not well-known condition, with 1,838 visits.

Here’s an excerpt from the latter blog that shows the positive message of hope given to the reader:

"To take care of both my mind and body, I make sure that I am proactively doing something to support my wellbeing daily. This can be exercise; I personally love to swim, walk, dance, attend workout sessions with friends, or get outside in nature, listen to music, cook good healthy meals (and the occasional baking!) or spend time with family and friends.”

Awards:

2024 Bournemouth Business Award for Best Place to Work

2023 – The Mind Excellence Award, received for our Strategy

Customer

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Customer Relationship Management (CRM):

Our new CRM system, Beacon, went live just before the start of this financial year, in March 2023, and we spent time populating data of our donors, fundraisers and corporate partners – and importantly, making sure what we entered was ‘clean’ and accurate.

The system helps us:

Ř [Gather data to help improve our events][ – for example, we are able to communicate much ] easier with our fundraisers, to help ensure their fundraising journey is smoother. We can also email previous entrants of our challenge events and encourage them to fundraise for us again.
Ř [Improve our email campaigns][ - and grow our newsletter list.]
Ř [Improve our website forms][ – we saw an upsell in online donations and we can also now see ] when they are from organisations – and thank them.
Ř [Provide ticketed sales][ – rather than use a platform such as Eventbrite which occurs fees. ] This helped improve our Christmas Tree Campaign in January and allowed us to easily gather data – and attendees - for events held such as the Courageous Conversations Conference, The BIG Walk and January’s Sea Dip.
Ř [Ensure continuity][ – Record details of our relationships with all contacts.]

Beacon’s integrations and workflows have cut down time spent doing admin – our JustGiving information comes in automatically and workflows have been set up to create automated journeys to thank donors and welcome fundraisers.

Digital Strategy:

This was created during this financial year, focusing on leveraging digital technologies to achieve our goals over the next 3 years. Whilst acknowledging the digital landscape evolves rapidly, it was even more important we embrace a forward-looking perspective that also k eeps aligned with the long-term plan for the NHS and trends within our non-profit sector.

A special mention to the wonderful organisations that generously allow us regular editorial space: Courtenay and Laura Hitchcock of The Blackmore Vale Magazine, Dawn Exley of Dorset Spotlight, Janine, Ben and Louis Pulford of Dorset View, Glen Cheyne and Helen Brown of Sherborne Times.

Thank you to all our blog contributors, including Ambassador Lucy Lewis and Annabel Goddard, for generously sharing their experience and knowledge.

Thank you to Andrew Read of Abbey 104 Radio for giving us a regular monthly slot on his local community radio show, based in Sherborne.

Thank you also to Monta Melanija for her support as Marketing Placement Student from November 2023 to June 2024.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024
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Bids and Grants

Dorset Mind experienced a challenging funding landscape during this financial year. The increase in competition from newly established charities nationally as well as within Dorset, combined with funders also feeling the impact of the Cost-of-Living crisis meant we had to strategically consider our activities and where we should place our resources.

Recognising this early on, we undertook extensive initiative to research options for sustainability, believing the charity had to move away from heavy reliance on grant funding as our top income stream. That said, grant funding still accounted for approximately 25% of Dorset Mind’s fundraising this year and remains an important income stream for us.

Bids and grants statistics:

167 grants applications were submitted

grants were awarded

Total Grant Income: £177,338

We are very thankful to the Trusts and Foundations that support us with grant awards, every funding relationship is valued and appreciated.

There are several organisations who have supported us with multi-year grants or year-on-year funding for services or projects – which helps provide continuity to the service and enables our charity to have a sense of stability during a time when demand for services continues to outstrip the funding available.

The Incorporated Bournemouth Free Church Council have generously given us repeat funding for ten years to support our Active in Mind support group in Southbourne. This group is essential for local people with mild to moderate and provides a twice-weekly group enabling local people regular support for their mental health plus the opportunity to connect with other people like themselves. It’s a vital service.

And Dorset Community Foundation has awarded us various funding opportunities during the past eight years to fund a range of services for young people. During Covid, the grant body awarded us ‘emergency support’ to enable us to continue to deliver our support for local people.

Organisations such as these, with their continued support, help us drive the charity forward and importantly provide funding for services that are critical for the people that attend them.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

CASE STUDY: BBC CHILDREN IN NEED

BBC Children in Need has provided funds for Dorset Mind’s Children and Young People’s Counselling and Mentoring services for the last 3 years, providing £9,997 funding per year towards one-to-one mental health support.

The three aims of the project were:

Ř[To support the emotional wellbeing ] of children with early intervention and education about mental health signs and symptoms and where to find help if required. This is vital to establish before the young person develops long-term mental illness or reaches crisis point.
Ř[To help children to be socially ] connected and prevent risk of isolation. Creating social relationships is central to wellbeing, and not because of the joy of being with friends, or when learning social

norms. It’s argued that experiencing social behaviour, and engaging in social interaction, is vital during childhood development.

Ř[To help children to grow up into emotionally happy adults. Supporting children’s ] mental health helps to prevent long term debilitating adult mental health illness. It also helps children to achieve academic success, sustainable employment and good social relationships with families and friends alongside positive connections within their communities.

The project supported a total of 241 children and young people between July 2021 and June 2024.

“ “Dorset Mind’s support has been really helpful to start more communication around anxiety and emotions within our home. To be secure in knowing that these feelings are OK to have someone to listen, and learn how to talk about it, and learn how to not let anxiety control you.”

Young mentoring participant, June 2024 (feedback received for support given in this financial year).

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

CASE STUDY

Casey was a fourteen-year-old who was referred to us as anxious and very nervous and worried about what everyone else thought of them; they were especially concerned about how people judged their appearance. Additionally, Casey was concerned about the school workload and had high expectations - which they put on themselves. Casey was struggling with symptoms such as unhelpful thought patterns, excessive over thinking and sleep.

After six weeks support, Casey gradually improved their confidence and learned coping techniques to begin to manage their symptoms.

Outcome:

Casey over time became more open and confident, and they told the counsellor that they no longer care much about how people view their appearance. Casey had a heavy academic study/homework from school but was able to manage their time and stress better. Casey’s grades were satisfying to them. They also began to make new friends during the work with their counsellor.

Case study about a young student, received from one of our Counsellors, August 2023. (Their name has been changed to Casey to protect their identity.)

Young mentoring participant, June 2024 (feedback received for support given in this financial year).

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Legacies

Dorset Mind ran their third legacy campaign through November and December in partnership with Dorset Coast Wills.

Legacy funding is an important long-term pipeline for our charity as it provides future funding and sustainability. The campaign accrued us a further nine gifts in will pledges.

Dorset Mind would like to take this opportunity to thank Claire Richards of Dorset Coast Wills for her generous support over the last three years.

Dorset Mind continues to benefit from the generosity of collections in memory of loved ones, in lieu of flowers at funerals.

In Memory Giving

We have benefited from fundraising events and challenges organized by family members and friends who have been sadly impacted by the loss of a loved one, some of them who have died by suicide.

We are thankful to the families concerned for choosing to fundraise for us and are extremely mindful of why they have done so.

It provides us the opportunity to reach out to the families and the communities impacted by the ripple effect of suicide - and to offer appropriate support to family and friends as best we can.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Community Fundraising and Events

Fundraisers' Own Events: 101 !

Fundraising Event: 9

These were organised or attended by Dorset Mind and included Bournemouth Bay Run, Dragon Boat Racing, Jurassic Coast Ultra Challenge, National 3 Peaks, Wing Walking, Annual Skydive, The j[|] BIG Walk, Christmas Trees and January BIG Sea Dip. | Awareness Events: 52

Direct engagement at Events: 2,799

Across the past financial year Dorset Mind has attended as many fundraising events and community activities as we could to support and encourage our fundraisers.

We attended 60 events between 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2024.

This meant we’ve attended events where over 10,000 people across Dorset have been present, helping those struggling with mental health problems with provision of mental health awareness, information, and signposting to support services, whether ours or external.

Additionally, these events gave us the chance to connect with our supporters and encourage people to raise funds for Dorset Mind.

During the last financial year, Dorset Mind focused on building up our portfolio of individual and team challenges to offer supporters the opportunity to take part in activities such as Skydiving, Jurassic Coast Challenge, cycling, running, sea dips, Dragon Boat Racing and sponsored haircuts.

We put extra effort into revisiting the Christmas Tree campaign with the benefit of a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to help with the organisation – both for taking orders online and behind the scenes. The forms give an option to take details but also offer customers the opportunity to make a donation at the same time.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Ben Stevenson - May 2023

Ben Stevenson created a fundraiser to raise awareness of suicide, in an attempt to “get help to anyone that is beginning to feel the weight of life.”

Before the challenge he said,

“Since speaking to people and hearing their stories in preparation for this challenge, it’s been truly alarming the number of people in all areas of life, and all ages, that this issue has touched or affected directly at some point.”

Ben lifted 562,740kg in May that represented the 4,129 men who took their lives in 2021 and their families and friends - and he opened the conversation about mental health wherever he lifted, taking it upon himself to visit different gyms in Dorset.

It was encouraging to see Ben’s friends and family support him - some even lifted with him - along with several of our friends at RISE Bournemouth, Emotion Fitness Hub and Team CC Gyms, to name a few.

Ben with his Auntie and Mum - and signed t-shirt from the challenge

Ben's total donations raised were £3,446 - split between us and the Masonic Chairity.

The 2023 Jurassic Coast Challenge – 13th & 14th May 2023

Ultra Challenges offers a range of running and walking routes across England, offering fundraisers the chance to fundraise for their chosen charity, self-fund, or a mixture of both. Dorset Mind was a Challenge Partner for the Jurassic Coast Challenge in 2023, which meant we had a prime slot on the Ultra Challenge website and could offer our supporters a discount to enter.

Fundraisers took on the stunning but difficult coastline from Corfe to Bridport, with a range of distances from 25km offered up to 100km, which could be completed in a day or over 24 hours!

Jurassic Coast 100km Finishers - Jordan, Jodie, Dr Rob, Ty and his Mum

In 2023, 27 people took part in this massive challenge, and raised a whopping £18,000.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Ambassador Ty Temel ran and walked the 100km with a group of friends. He said: “This was honestly one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. We practically crawled through the finish line, but we did it! Shout out to our crew – we stuck together and finished it. Shout out to Dorset Mind who help people that live through similar dark places in their mind on a daily basis.”

100km Challenger and Charity Partner, Paddy Hester of Meyers Verwood & Ringwood had a similar review. He said:

“So far the hardest challenge I’ve ever taken on. Heat and hills along the coastline aren’t an easy combination to negotiate, but proud of finishing and getting it all done in 16hrs 35mins! I have raised a great amount for the brilliant Dorset Mind!

The Jurassic Coast route is tough, and not all our fundraisers complete it, which can be extremely tough to bear. But everyone has fun training, and we support them online as best we can.

On the Saturday Amesha Ryan was one such fundraiser - she attempted the 100km but had to retire early due to injuries. She said: “It has been great being able to raise so much for Dorset Mind. All your support for us on the challenge and for what you do on a daily basis too is just fantastic!”

Squid Squad’s 24-Hour Open Water Sea Swim Relay – 21st to 22nd July 2023

Dan Chambers, Darren Tomes, Oliver Jones and Paul Green who made up the self-styled ‘Squid Squad’ started their open water swimming challenge at 6pm on Friday 21st July 2023 and successfully finished 24 hours later at 6pm the following day.

Swimming throughout the day and night, they took it in turns to swim from the Stone Quay across Swanage Bay to Banjo Pier and back again. In the end, each completed an impressive 20 laps, about 20km over the 24-hour period. Plumer Ollie Jones said,

SquidSquad - Oli, Darren, Dan and Paul

“Swimming the night shift was really good in the end, with a chilled atmosphere. At about 8 am – halfway through – I hit the wall, and I think the others did too. Then the rain came down in the afternoon and the water became quite choppy, but we battled through – it all went to plan really.”

Paul Green, a tank commander at Bovington added:

“It was really cold at times in the water, but the support has been unbelievable and kept us going. So many people have been cheering us on – lots of people from Swanage but also from Poole and Bournemouth and also family from up north – it’s been really good!”

In total the brilliant team raised just over £5,016 for Dorset Mind – and a similar amount for Swanage Lifeboat Station, where Darren Tomes Volunteers.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Christmas Trees – 6th to 7th January 2024

Our Christmas Tree Collection at the start of January 2024 was another massive success for us.

We collected 237 trees this year, with invaluable support from Maidmans Moving & Storage who provide transport and drivers; JSR Tree Care chipped and recycled the trees for us; PKF Francis Clark and Trethowans provided volunteers to help load the vans - and then unload them at Tower Park, who provided a drop-off point for us.

Maidmans’ Director, Steven Webber commented,

“We are thrilled to once again help the wonderful Dorset Mind with their Christmas Tree collections. The donations raised will be used to provide vital mental health services in Dorset, which especially at this time of year, is invaluable.”

Evie and Holly with Volunteer Nathan at Tower Park awaiting Christmas Trees

The campaign raised a total of £2,500 as several people donated via the website when they reserved their collection. Importantly, the process was an improvement on the year before from start to finish. There were less trees to collect on our ‘mop-up’ day and less refunds. The three refunds made were due to people booking trees out of our collection area.

The Bournemouth Bay Run – 24th March 2024

For the second year in a row, we teamed up with Bournemouth Bay Run as a charity partner to provide this race as an exciting fundraising opportunity for our supporters.

Fundraisers Lee and Emma

We had 246 people register to run, jog or walk for ‘Dorset’s mental health’ – across a choice of distances: 5km, 10km or a half marathon along Bournemouth Bay. There is also a 1km race offered for children. The 2024 event raised an impressive £6,500.

We are looking to improve on this amount in 2025, when we are charity partners once more!

One of our long-term fundraisers, Emily Hillier, ran 10km in 37:32 and was first in the female category for the third time! She said:

“I absolutely loved running the Bay Run – it was my third time at the event and it’s one of my favourite races of the year. There was amazing support from the crowd, and it was really special to finish up right on the beach front next to the pier.

The organisation and set up seems to improve each year. I love the stalls and event village located in Bournemouth Gardens, and I had a good look round before and after the run.

After doing some charity fundraising for Dorset Mind, it was lovely to visit them in the Gardens and learn about what they have been getting involved with recently. They are of great support to the local community and their set up at the Bay Run allowed people to visit and find out what they do!

I am looking forward to the Bay Run 2025 already!”

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

CASE STUDY - JORDAN BISHOP

Fundraiser Jordan is a long-time supporter of Dorset Mind and has supported the charity in numerous events since 2017, usually fitness based.

In January 2024, he took part in the 4 x 4 x 48 challenge alongside members of RISE Gym led by Ambassador Ty Temel. The Challenge comprised running 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours. This gruelling challenge was a physical and mental test for all that took part, and Jordan, driven by determination smashed the mammoth task.

Jordan has also previously taken part in the Three Peaks Challenge, the Jurassic Coast Challenge, several Boxing challenges, the

Bournemouth Bay Run, and he recently overcame his fear to take on the iconic challenge of a skydive! All in aid of Dorset Mind. Jordan's fundraising challenges this year brought in over £2,500 for Dorset Mind.

Jordan’s fundraising is not the only thing he’s bought to the charity - he has a close group of friends that have also fundraised for Dorset Mind and supported us throughout several different fundraising events over the year. Together, they have bought in over £10,000 in community fundraising over the several challenges they have undertaken. He says:

Skydivers Jordan, Jordan and Ty

“I really enjoyed the challenges that come with fundraising, and I think through doing them, pushing

myself and working towards a target, I've Improved my own mental health massively. It helps keep my mind busy, helps me to connect socially and form new friendships. I've joined running clubs and stuff through the friends I've made from fundraising, and now we socialise outside of the clubs.

I've felt supported by DM while doing my fundraising challenges. Dorset Mind have also helped me feel able to support my own friends who might be struggling with their mental health. I 100% recommend fundraising for DM and I see the incredible benefits it can have, I see the difference it makes for our local community, the people that need support and for myself personally.”

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

How we raised our funds

In one of Dorset Mind’s most challenging years to date, supporters and partners rallied to raise an impressive £966,894, essential for providing mental health support across Dorset.

Finance

Our Trustees played a pivotal role in maintaining oversight of the charity’s income and expenditure, with monthly financial reports reviewed by the Risk, Finance, and Quality Sub-Committee. This approach allowed Trustees to closely track cash flow, ensure expenses aligned with the charity’s mission, and assess progress against the Income Generation Strategy, which set ambitious targets for major revenue streams.

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£1500000 Income Income for 2023/24
Expenditure £966,894
£1200000
2022/23: £1,366,140
2021/22: 944,253
£900000
2020/21: 810,815
£600000 Expenditure for
2023/24
£300000 £1,329,154
2022/23: £1,286,013
£0
2023/24 2022/23 2021/22 2020/21 2021/22: £915,097
2020/21: £661,026
----- End of picture text -----*

*The significant uplift in income during 2022/23 was due to a one-off payment that allowed us to extend delivery of our Triage and Active Monitoring services.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Corporate Partnerships and Community Fundraising...

Long-term partnerships were central to our success. For example, Waterside Holiday Group , our charity partner since 2022, have raised £15,000 each year through community-focused events, including a 30-mile hike, seasonal bake-offs, and a unique Staff Job Swap Day.

Waterside Holday Group Fundraising Walk - August 2023

Hall & Woodhouse’s partnership with Dorset Mind, established in 2021, was driven by a deep sense of commitment from their pubs, which experienced tragic losses to suicide during the pandemic. This heartfelt dedication has led to significant fundraising, with £16,059.23 raised in 2023–24 alone. This support included £190 for suicide intervention training, £6,869.23 from individual pub fundraising, and £9,000 from the November 2023 Charity Day, where profits were shared across 17 local Minds across the Southwest. Dorset Mind’s staff helped coordinate the collection across 14 participating pubs, a logistical undertaking that reinforced community ties and raised awareness of mental health support in the region.

Nick Rowe and Linda O'Sullivan at the Royal Lion Hotel, Lyme Regis

Holly Roser and Evie Battistini outside the Old Granary, Wareham

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Trethowans , another key partner, committed to raising £8,000 annually from 2022 to 2025. They exceeded this goal in 2023, generating £8,457 through activities like June’s 2023 National 3 Peaks Challenge. Their dedication to fundraising is evident as all staff across the chain of Solicitors are encouraged to actively participate in fundraising and supporting local causes. This year, our Bournemouth and Poole partners raised the majority of their donations through in-house fundraising activities.

Trethowans

Spike Global was a great example of a one-year partner who fully embraced their £3,000 goal, exceeding it with over £3,100 raised . Their team engaged in fundraising events like the Bournemouth Bay Run and Sherborne Country Fair, participated in community projects like allotment gardening for mental wellness, and led beach clean-ups to support environmental and mental health. Spike also created mental health resources, making their support impactful and deeply community focused.

Spike Global

A highlight of Dorset Mind’s fundraising efforts in 2023 was The Jurassic Coast Challenge in May 2023, which drew an enthusiastic participation from 27 people, including partners like Circle Health Group and Aaron Keith from Sentinel Fire & Security Solutions. The challenge was the first time we invested in becoming a Challenge partner, which proved a shrewd investment as we raised £20,251.21 (plus Gift Aid).

The top fundraising campaign, however, was the National 3 Peaks Challenge on June 17–18th, where 36 participants including Ambassador Ty Temel, were led by a team including Coach Pickles and Kelly Smith supported by Nomad Mountaineering, raised an impressive £22,064.86 (plus Gift Aid). The team tackled Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, and Snowdon, facing logistical challenges that added to the memorable experience. This event holds special poignancy as Coach Pickles, a key supporter and friend, sadly passed away in a climbing accident last November. His contribution to this challenge and community remains an inspiring part of our journey.

Through such collaborations and the unwavering commitment of our supporters, Dorset Mind has been able to continue vital mental health services across Dorset.

Thank you to every one of our charity partners and supporters who helped make this achievement possible – we couldn’t have done this without your incredible efforts!

The impact of your fundraising helping provide effective support at the right time can be summarised by this quote received from a Triage client in January 2024, who was seen the very next day, rather than wait for almost a month to see her doctor:

“Caroline was fantastic at balancing listening, understanding and responding effectively with the right things that needed to be said and addressed. She gave reassurance of her role, the support she is able to give and the support she can refer me to. Brilliant!”

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

How we spent our money...

In 2023/24 we spent £1,329,154 on our work to make sure that people in Dorset with a mental health problem get support and respect.

Of this, £1,309,002 was spent on charitable activities – that is, costs incurred by Dorset Mind in the delivery of activities and services for our beneficiaries.

The cost of raising funds, managing investments and costs incurred in trading activities was £20,152.

The Trustees continue to closely scrutinize the charity's expenditure on a monthly basis, ensuring careful oversight and accountability. (1.5%) £20,152 Raising Funds (98.5%) £1,329,154 Charitable Activities Raising Funds Charitable Activities This means that for every pound donated to Dorset Mind, 85p goes directly towards supporting people with mental health problems. This figure takes into account the cost of fundraising and all core wages. ~~5~~ (° dorsetmind.uk • #getdorsettalking 59

Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Governance

These measures ensure that our Board of Trustees are able to oversee our Strategy, that our Strategy is fit for purpose, that we have all the right policies, procedures, checks and balances to ensure we operate legally, safely and manage our risks and finances in the best way possible.

Risk

Risk was managed by the Risk, Finance and Quality Sub-Committee. They met regularly to review the Risk Register and the Red Flag Risks. 2022/23 saw the charity consider the risks of Business Continuity in the aftermath of Covid, heading into the Cost of Living Crisis with consideration for finance, key staff roles, and ICT.

The charity’s reserves were allocated according to the risk profile and amended following sub-committee meetings.

Reserves Policy

The Board of Trustees examined the Charity’s requirements for reserves in light of the main risks to the organisation. It established a policy whereby the unrestricted funds not committed or invested in tangible fixed assets held by the Charity should be equal to the amount required to address the red flags as determined by the Risk, Finance and Quality Sub-Committee - which was £268,000 at the year-end.

Unrestricted reserves are held for the following purposes:

To maintain services through periods of reduced funding and cash flow;
To develop new projects;
To pay redundancy and recruitment costs; and
To respond to adverse incidents.

At the year end the charity held total unrestricted reserves (excluding designated funds) of £105,303 (2022/23: £195,928 and 2021/22: £261,018) and restricted reserves of £50,238 (2022/23: £321,873 and 2021/22: £186,640).

The charity aims to build its unrestricted reserves back to this target after a tough financial year.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Central Operations

Spring 2023 saw the arrival of our much-awaited Mind Quality Mark assessment (MQM). Every Local Mind that is part of the Mind Federation goes through the same quality assurance process in order to carry the Mind Quality Mark, shown below.

We were measured against 116 indicators, covering areas such as Leadership and Governance, HR and Services and People. Mind assessors look at every aspect of the charity to see that we align with Mind standards.

We officially passed this assessment in October 2023 and were subsequently awarded as winners for how we developed our strategy at the 2023 Mind Excellence Awards. Mind recognised that we had a different approach – that involved everyone in the charity, from Trustees to volunteers, getting involved with reshaping our culture.

TMind said, “Tearing up the book of how something is traditionally done can transform the end product far beyond what may have been anticipated at the outset. The CEO is highly commended for having the courage and vision to challenge the status quo, and to take colleagues from all levels within the organisation on a different journey.”

Central Operations Statistics:

No. Fire Wardens:

No. of First Aiders: 8

John Nevin with our Mind Execellence Award for Strategy

Pictured here is John, our Group Facilitator and Mentoring Minds Coordinator, who collected the award on our behalf. John also coined the term ‘HOPE’ as an acronym for our values – Honest, Open, Passionate and Experience.

We continued to follow our 3-year strategy (2023-2025), evaluating current practices and policies and improving them. The strategy encouraged new ways of working to be introduced, especially within the People pillar.

This led to a collaborative working group designing a new Code of Conduct with staff, volunteer and trustee input. By December 2023 all employees had completed a Gallup Strengths assessment, allowing conversations to focus on a person’s top strengths.

This complemented the implementation of our Annual Review process, encouraging discussions between staff and their manager to focus on strengths, charity values, goals and personal and professional development.

Complaints received: 2 Health and Safety Incidents: 0

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Thank Yous...

We can’t do what we do without the support of many special people – our incredible volunteers, businesses, charity partners, fundraisers, organisations and grant-making bodies. Thank you for all you do. You help us change lives, and in some cases, save lives. | A massive ‘thank you’ to you all on behalf of our Trustees, CEO and Staff - and every adult and young person we support in their journey towards better mental health.

A special thank you to our funders for supporting us:

Asda Foundation, Alice Ellen Cooper Dean, BBC Children in Need, BCP Community Hub, Biz Give New Energy, Bournemouth Rotary Club, Cash for Kids, East Dorset Local Alliance Group, Felicity Wilde Trust, GF Erye Charitable Trust, Incorporated Bournemouth Free Church Council, MJB Charitable Trust, National Lottery, Morrisons, National Mind, North Dorset Local Alliance Group, The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Pavers Foundation, Purbeck Local Alliance Group, Scheier Foundation, Simon Digby Charitable Trust, Sovereign House, Stella Symons, West Dorset Local Alliance Group.

This year, we said a very fond goodbye to our Patron Angus Campbell, who also stepped down from his role as His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant, and Ken Heap, our Chair of Trustees. Both have played an important part in Dorset Mind's evolution, and we’d like to thank them for their considerable contribution. Ken served our charity for nine years and, as Chair, steered it from operating as a small Bournemouth-centric charity to a truly Dorset-wide organisation.

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Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024

Board of Trustees:

Ken Heap, Chair (to 28th March 2024) Laurence Mynors-Wallis, Co-Chair (from 28th March 2024) Charles Alberts, Co-Chair (from 28th March 2024) Karen Butcher (from 22nd May 2024) Samual Crompton (from 22nd May 2024)

Maria Evans Calvin Glen Elaine Hurll (from 22nd May 2024) Dr Ros Maycock (Safeguarding Lead) Jonathan Wooten (from 22nd May 2024)

CEO: Linda O’Sullivan

Treasurers: Claire Wait (to 18 July 2023) Ben Lawes (from 26 July 2023)

Patron:

Dr Andrew Mayers – Principal Academic, Bournemouth University

Ambassadors:

Chandy Green Chris Tshuma Craig Eldridge Lucy Lewis Megan Whitehead Natalie Merry Toby Kenneally Ty Temel

Professional Advisors:

Human Relations: Peninsula Business Health and Safety: Sirius Business Services Ltd B & G Fire Alarms

Management Accounts: Leigh Wiltshire, Ekeshire

IT Management: Comms UK Ltd

Insurers: Arthur J Gallagher Insurance

Independent Examiners: Edwards and Keeping Limited

Bankers: CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, West Malling ME19 4TA

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We are Dorset Mind. We won’t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem in Dorset gets support and respect.

To donate to our work and help us support local people in Dorset, visit: https://dorsetmind.uk/donate

Dorset Mind Head Office (not open to the public):

8 Stratfield Saye,

20-22 Wellington Road Bournemouth.

Dorset. BH8 8JN.

Facebook: @DorsetMindOfficial, @EcoinMindDorset

Instagram: @dorsetmind, @teamdorsetmind @ecoinmind_dorset, LinkedIn: Dorset Mind Twitter: @dorsetmind, YouTube: @DorsetMind

#getdorsettalking dorsetmind.uk

Dorset Mind is a registered charity No. 1108168 and is registered in England as a company limited by guarantee No. 5333018. DM422

Company registration number: 5333018 Charity registration number- 1108168 Dorset Mind (A company limited by guarantee) Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 'ADIFTKEO* 2111212024 COMPANIES HOUSE A11

Dorset Mind Contents Trustees Report 1 to2 Reference and Administrative Detslls Independent Examinerfs Report Statement of Financial Activities 4t05 Balance Sheet 6t07 Statement of Cash Flows Notes to the Financial Statements 9t019

Dorset Mind Trustees Report Reference and Administrative Details Reglstered Office 8 Straffield Saye 20 - 22 Wellington Road Bournemouth BH8 8JN Company Registratlon Numbér 5333018 Charlty Registratlon Number 1108168 Bankers CAF Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue West Malling ME19 4TA Accountants Edwards and Keeping Limited Unity Chambers 34 High East Streel Dorchester Dorset DT1 1HA Trustees and officers The trustees and officers serving during the year and since the year end wer8 as follows: Trustees: Kenneth Heap (Chair) B.A., Adv Dip Crim., CGET, F.Syl (resigned 28 March 2024) Charles Alberts (Co-Chalr> MSC, Cmgr, MCMI, CertCII Dr Laurence Mynors-wallis (Co-chair) MA, DM, MRCP. FRCPsych 8en Lawes (Treasurer) (appointed 18 July 2023) Maria Evans Or Rosalind Maycock BM Calvin Billingon-Glen Clalre Wait (Treasurer) FCCA. DChA {resigned 18 July 2023) Catherine Deakin (resigned 17 October 2023) Robert Rutherford (resigned 8 November 2023) Anna Windett (resigned 31 December 2023) lan Prankerd MAAT, MinstLM, FIAB {resign8d 31 January 2024) Samuel Crompton {appointed 22 May 2024) Jonathan Wootten (appointed 22 May 2024) Elaine Hurll (appointed 22 May 2024) Karen Butcher (appointed 22 May 2024) Chief Executive Officer: Linda O'sullivan Page 1

Dorset Mind Trustees Report Statement of trustees. responsibilitiès The truslees {who are also the directors of Dorset Mind for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees, report and the financial staternents in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom AcLounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including FRS 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they glve a true and fair view of the stale of affairs of the charitable company and of Ihe incoming resources and application of resources. inclu(Jing its income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently. observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP: make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; slate whether applicable accounting standards. comprising FRS 102 have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements- and prepare the financial statements on th8 golng concem basis unless it is inapproprlate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounth'ng records that can disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the. assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial Infomation included on the charitable compan$ website. Legislation governing the preparation and dissemlnation of financial statements may dlffer from legislalion In otherjurisdlctions. The Trustees have produced a separate 2023124 Annual Report for Dorset Mind which incorporates the necessary narrative information required by the Statement of Recommended Praclice. The annual report was approved by the trustees of the charily on 18 December 2024 and signed on its behalf by.. Charles Alberts (Co-chair) MSc,Dr ence Mynors-WallisB awes {TreaSur) Cmgr. MCMI, CertCII (Co-chair) MA, DM, MRCP,Trustee Trustee FRCPsych Trustee Page 2

Dorset Mind Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Dorset Mind ('the Company,) I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2024. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trusiees of the company {and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act,). Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Chanties Act 2011 (the '2011 Act'l. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5)(b) of the 2011 Act. Independent examlner's. report Since the company's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that l am qualified to undertake the examination because l am a member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants, which is one of the listed bodies. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe.. {1) accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act, or {2) the accounts do not accord with those accounting records., or {3) the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requiremenl that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is nol a matter considered 8S part of an independent examination., or (4) the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended practice for accounting and reporting by charities lapplicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)]. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Edwards and Keeping Limited Unity Chambers 34 High East Street Dorchester Dorset DT1 1HA 20 December 2024 Page 3

Dorset Mind Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 (Including Income and Expenditure Account) Unrestrlcted funds Restricted funds Total 2024 Note Income and Endowments from: Voluntary income Charitable activities Investment income 374,284 462,016 3,610 126,984 501,268 462,016 3,610 Total Income 839,910 126,984 966,894 Expenditure on: Raising funds Charitable activities (20,152) 910,383 (20,152> 1.309,002 398,619 Total Expenditure 930,535 398,619 1.329,154 Net expenditure Net movement in funds 90,625 271,635 362,260 {90,625) (271,635> (362.260) Reconclllation of funds Total funds brought fopward Total funds carried forward 195,928 321,873 517,801 16 105,303 50,238 155,541 The notes on page5 9 to 19 form an integral part of these financial statements. Page 4

Dorset Mind Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 (Including Income and Expenditure Account) Unrestrlcted funds Restricted funds Total 2023 Note Income and Endowm•nts from: Voluntary income Charitable activities Investment income 298.920 469,107 2,060 596.053 894,973 469.107 2,060 Total income 770.087 596.053 1.366.140 Expendllure on: Raising funds Charitable activities (15,992) 809,201 (15,992) 1.270,021 460,820 Total expenditure 825.193 460,820 1,286,013 Net (expenditure)lincome Net movement in funds 55.106 135,233 80,127 (55,106) 135,233 80,127 Reeonclllatlon of funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward 251,034 186.640 437.674 16 195,928 321,873 517.801 All of the charity's activities d8rlve from continulng operations during the above two periods. The funds breakdown for 2023 is shown in note 16. The noles on pag8s 9 to 19 fomi an integral part of Ihese financial statements. Page 5

Dorset Mind (Registration number: 5333018) Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024 2024 2023 Not• Flxed assets Tangible assets Debtors - due within one year Cash at bank and in hand 9,052 17,538 12 54,446 153.708 74.624 467,808 208,154 542.432 Credltorn: Amounts falllng due wllhln one year 13 61,665 42,169 Net currant assets 146.489 500,263 Net assets 155,541 517,801 Funds of the charlty: Restricted income fvnds Restricted funds 50,238 321,873 Unreslricled Income funds Unrestrictod funds 105,303 195,928 Total funds 16 155,541 517,801 The notes on pages 9 to 19 fonn an integral part of these financial ststemenls. Page 6

Dorset Mind (Registration number: 5333018) Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024 For the financial year ending 31 March 2024 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. Directors. responsibilities.. The members hav8 not required th8 charity to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476. and The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts. The financlal statements on pages 4 to 19 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on 18 December 2024 and signed on their behalf by: Charles Alberts (Co-chair) MSC. Cmgr, MCMI, CertCII Trustee DrLa ence Trustee ynors-wallis {Co-Chair) MA, DM, MRCP, FRCPsych Ben awes (Treasurer) Trustee The notes on pages 9 10 19 form an iniagral part of these financial statements. Page 7

Dorset Mind Statement of Cash Flows for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 2024 2023 Not• Cash flows from operating activities Net cash (expenditure)lincome Adjustments to cash flows from non•cash items Depreciation Investment income {362.260) 80,127 8,486 3.610 7,786 2,060 (357,384) 85,853 Working capital adjustments Decrease in debtors Increase in creditors Increasel(decreasel in deferred incom8 Net cash flows from operating activities 12 13 20,178 17,311 240,970 7.572 272,442 317.710 61,953 Cash flows from Invesllng actlvltles Interest receivable and similar income Purchase of tangible fixed assets Net cash flows from investing aclivities 3,610 2.060 13,668 3,610 11,608 Net (decrease)lincrease In cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents at 1 April Cash and cash equivalents at 31 March (314,100) 467,808 50,345 417,463 153,708 467,808 All of the cash flows are derlved from continuing operations during the above Iwo periods. The notes on page5 9 to 19 form an inte9ral part of these financial ststements. Page 8

Dorset Mind Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 1 Ac¢ounting policies Summary of signlficant accountlng policies and kèy accounting estlmates The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presentad, unless'otharwise stated. Statement of compliance The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Statement of Recommended Practice {applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance wlth the Financial Reporting Standard applicable In the UK and Republic of Ireland {FRS 102)) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006. Basls of preparation Dorset Mind meets the definilion of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabillties are initially recognised at historlcal cost or transaction value un18SS Qtherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes. Dorset Mind Is a registered charlty, registration number 1108168, company number 5333018, registered in the United Kingdom. The address of the charity is given in the reference and administrative details on page 1 of these financial statements. The nature of the charit5ls operations and principal aclivilies are described in the Trustees annual report. The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity and rounded to the nearest £. Golng concern The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the chariws abillty to continue as a going concern nor any significant areas of uncertainty that affect the carrying value of assets held by the charity. Income and endowmenls Voluntary income including donations. gifls and grants that provide core funding or are of a general nature is recognised when the Charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability. Grants recelvabl• Grants are recognised when the charity has an entitlement to the funds and any conditions linked to the grants have been met. Where performance conditions are attached to the grant and are yet to be met. the income is recognised as a liability and included on the balance sheet as deferred income to be released. Page 9

Dorset Mind Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 Deferred income Deferred income represents amounts received for future periods and is released to Incoming resources in the period for which. it has been received. Such income is only deferred when: The donor specifles that the grant or donation must only be used in future accounting periods., or The donor has imposed conditions which must be met before the charity has unconditional entitlement. Charitable activities Income from charitable actlvities includes income recognlsed as earned (as the related services are provided). Exp•ndlture All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable 8xpenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the US8 of resources, with central staff costs allocaled on the basis of time spent. and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset's use. Other support cosls are allocated based on the spread of staff costs. Ralslng funds These are costs incurred in attracting voluntary income, the management of investments and those incurred in trading activitiés Ihat raisè funds. Charitable activitias Charltable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charlty in the dellvery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activitiés and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them. Governance costs These include the costs attributable to the charltys compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements, including audit, strategic management and trustees meetings and reimbursed expenses. Irrecoverable VAT Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the category of resources expended for whlch it was incurred. Taxation The charity is consldered to pass the tests set out In Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from tsxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes. Page 10

Dorset Mind Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 Tangible fixed assets Individual fixed assets are initially recorded at cost. less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impaimient losses. Deprèciation and amortisation Depreciation is provided on tangible fix8d assets so as to write off th8 Cost or valuatlon, less any estimated residual value, over their expected useful economic life as follows." Asset clas• Compuler equipment Office equipment and fixtures D•preciatlon mothod and rat• 3 years straight line basis 5 years straight line basis Trade debtors Trade deblors are amounts due from customers for merchandise sold or services perfomed In the ordinary course of business. Trad8 d8btors are recognis8d initially at the transaction price. They are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less provision for impairment. A provision for the impaiment of trade debtors is established when there is objective evidence that the charity will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the orlginal terms of the receivables. Cash and cash equlvalents Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposlts, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value. Trade credltors Trade creditors are obligatlons lo pay for goods or servlces that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Accounts payable are classified as current liabilities if the charity does not have an unconditional right, at the end of the reporting period, to defer settlement of the creditor for at least iwelve months after the reportlng date. If there is an unconditional right to defer settlement for at least bNelve months after the reporting date. they are presented as non-curr6nt liabilities. Trade credltors are recognlsed initially at the transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest melhod. Fund structure Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The airn and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements. Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose. Page11

Dorset Mind Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 Penslons and other post retirement obligations The charity operates a defined contribution plan for the benefit of its employees. Contributions are expensed as they become payable. 2 Income from donalions Unrestricted funds General Restricted funds Total 2024 Total 2023 Donations and legacies; Appeals and donations Grants, including capital grants,, Grants r8c8lved 323.930 323,930 292.395 50,354 374,284 126.984 177,338 602,578 894,973 126,984 501,268 3 Ineom• from charltabl• actlvltlos Unrestrlcted funds General Total 2024 Total 2023 Contract income Provision of training Provision of counselling Trading income 433.855 18.796 8.940 425 433,855 18,796 8,940 425 414.547 45.084 9,301 175 462,016 462,016 469.107 4 Investment Income Unrestrlcted funds Gèneral Total 2024 Total 2023 Interest receivable and similar incom6; Interest receivable on bank deposits 3,610 3,610 2,060 Page 12

Dorset Mind Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 5 Expendlture on raising funds a) Fundraising expenditurè Unrestricted funds General Total 2024 Total 2023 Note Other direct costs 20.152 20,152 15,992 6 Expenditure on charitable activities Total 2024 Total 2023 Wages and salaries Service delivery costs Staff costs {HR Support. travel expenses, stsff training etc.) Office expenses PmiseS costs Sundry expenses including irrecoverable VAT Subscriptions and affiliation fees Advertising and promotion Professional fees Bank charges Staff welfare Depreciation Govemance costs (see note below) 1,081,115 36.070 29,880 35,120 54,371 11,738 1,678 4,248 43,758 1,8S9 998,301 36,264 25,713 51.927 56,315 17,536 1,918 7.923 31,578 1.010 30,000 7,786 3,750 8.486 679 1.309.002 1,270.021 Governance cost8 Unrestricted funds Total 2024 Total 2023 General Audit fees Audlt of the financial statements Independent Examiner's remuneration Trustees expenses 3,750 650 29 650 29 679 679 3,750 Pa9e 13

Dorset Mind Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 7 Trustees remuneration and expenses No trustees, nor any persons connected with them, have received any remuneration from the charity during the year. One trustee received reimbursed expenses totslling £29 (2023.. £Nil). No trustees have recelved any other benefits from th8 charity during the year. 8 Staff costs The aggregate payroll costs Ware as follows: 2024 2023 Staff costs during the year warè: Wag8s and salari8S Social security costs Penslon costs 995,682 70,778 14,655 960.945 20.551 16.805 1,081,115 998.301 The monlhly average number of persons (including senior management team) employed by the charity during the year was as follows: 2024 No 53 2023 No 56 The nurnber of employees whose emoluments fell within the following bands was: 2024 No 2023 No £60,001- £70,000 The totsl employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity Ware £191,133 (2023 - £185,965). 9 Net Incomlngloutgolng resources Net (outgoingyincoming resources for the year Include.. 2024 2023 Audit fees Depreciation of fixed assets Independent examiners fee Operating leases - computer Soare 3,750 7.786 8,486 650 5,508 4,870 Page 14

Dorset Mind Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 10 Taxatlon The company is a registered charity and it's activities are therefore exempt from taxation. 11 Tangible fixad assets Office and computer equipment Cost At l April 2023 50,169 At 31 March 2024 50,169 Dopreclatlon Al 1 April 2023 Charge for the year Al 31 March 2024 32,631 8,486 41,117 Nel book value At 31 March 2024 9,052 At 31 March 2023 17.538 12 Debtors 2024 2023 Trade debtors Prepayments and accrued income VAT recoverable 27,566 26,467 413 14,611 58,889 1,124 54,446 74,624 Debtors includès £Nil (2023: £600) receivable after more than one year. 13 Credltors: amounts falllng due wlthln on6 year 2024 2023 Trade creditors other tsxation and social security Pension scheme creditor Accruals Deferred income 23,154 17.677 3,633 11,006 6.195 61,665 6,784 17.630 13.745 4,010 42,169 Page 15

Dorset Mind Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 14 Penslon and other schemes Defined contribution penslon scheme The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The pension cost charge for the year represents contributions payable by the charity to the scheme and amounted to £14,655 (2023 £16,805). Contributions totalling £3,633 (2023.. £nil) were outstanding at the year end and are included in creditors. 15 Commltment8 Leaslng commltmont8 The charity has entered into operating leases for offices and equipment. The total amount contracted for but not provided in the financial statements was £18,343 {2023 £43,950>. Page 16

Dorset Mind Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 16 Funds As restated Balance at 1 April 2023 Incoming resources Resources Balance at 31 expended March 2024 Unr•strlcted funds General Unrestricted fund 195.928 839,910 (930,535) 105,303 Restrlct•d funds Active monitoring Adult 'The Gap, The Dorset Community Mentsl Health Ailiance Training Men in mind Peer support Winter resilience fund Youth appeal Ukraine support Training, empowering minds Waiting well Mentoring and support 31,500 496 14,000 (45,500) (496) 63.630 1.240 3,505 9,386 175.649 13,586 4.881 18,000 28,000 (91.630) (1,2401 (3.505) {9.386) (175.649) (13.586) (4.881) (18,000) (31,962) 2,784 70,000 14,984 38,038 12,200 Total restrlcted funds 321.873 126,984 398,619 50,238 Total funds 517,801 966,894 1,329,154 155,541 Pag8 17

Dorset Mind Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 Balance al 1 April 2022 Incoming resources Resources Balance at 31 expendéd March 2023 Unrestrlcled funds General Unrestricted fund 251,034 770,087 (825.193) 195.928 Restricted Active monitoring Adult employment project Adult 'The Gap, Adult groups Adult befriending CRM Project The Dorset Community Mental Health Alliance Poole running group Trainlng Men in mind Peer support Winter resilience fund Youth appeal Ukraine support Training, empowering minds Lloyds foundation 63,250 3.314 21,336 (31,750) (6,116) (20.840) (2.591) {7.084) (16,392) 31,500 2.802 496 2,591 4.084 7.390 3,000 9,002 41,112 285 47,$00 (24,982) (285) 12,360) {1,029> {6.466) (99,351) (226,455) {119) 63.630 3,600 4,534 15.852 275,000 111,665 5,000 18,000 15,000 1.240 3.505 9.386 175,649 13.586 4.881 18.000 128.376 15.000 Total restrlcted funds 186.640 596.053 460,820 321.873 Total funds 437,674 1,366,140 1,286,013 517,801 Page 18

Dorset Mind Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 17 Analysis of net assets between funds Unrestricted funds General Total funds al 31 March 2024 Restrlcted funds Tangible fixed assets Current 85sets Current liabilities 9,052 157,916 61,665 9,052 208.154 61.665 $0,238 Total nat assets 105,303 50,238 155,541 Unrestrlcted funds General Total funds at 31 March 2023 Restricted funds Tanglble fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities 17,538 220.559 42.169 17,538 542,432 42,169 321,873 Tot81 net assets 195,928 321,873 517,801 18 Related party transactions There were no related party transact5ons in the year. Page 19

2024-03-31-accounts

Dorset Mind Impact Report 2023-2024