Bath businesses that care about their city are being urged to step up their philanthropy and offer support for organisations that prevent local people suffering mental health crises.
The plea comes from the Quartet Community Foundation, the independent charity that works across the West of England to support local philanthropists in their charitable giving. 
It coincides with a new report highlighting the scale of the mental health problem in Bath and across the region.
The key conclusion of the 2017 Vital Signs report is that early intervention and preventative programmes can reduce risk factors and prevent mental health from deteriorating. But funding is urgently needed by organisations – many of them small – that work with local people.
Quartet chief executive Sue Turner said: “This report shows that mental health problems are often layered on top of other issues, so it’s the most vulnerable people who are likely to struggle. But we have a message of hope too because we know there are ways all of us can help.
“We are calling for people, businesses and trusts that care about the local community to step up their philanthropy and offer support for organisations that provide early intervention and preventative programmes that can reduce risk factors and prevent mental health from deteriorating.”
Key findings of the 2017 Vital Signs include:
- The kids aren’t alright. 1 in 3 adult mental health issues directly relate to difficulty in childhood and the symptoms of 50% of lifelong mental health issues begin by the age of 14. As many as 1 in 4 girls aged 14 report symptoms of depression.
- High rates of young people self-harming. Local hospitals see a higher than average number of young people aged 10-24 years who have self-harmed. This indicates that more early support is needed for our young people before they reach crisis point.
- Living on the breadline. In 15 local authority wards 30% or more of our children and young people are living in poverty, putting them at higher risk of developing mental health problems.
- Debt time-bomb. Many people are struggling with debt which is linked to depression, drink and drug use and suicide. In Bristol 17% of people are estimated to be overindebted.
- Hard lives. Research shows your risk of mental health problems is much higher if you are facing a combination of problems like disability, housing problems and poverty.
- Local communities with inadequate support. People from black, Asian, minority ethnic and gypsy/traveller groups can find it particularly difficult to get help for their mental health problems, even though some groups are more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health problem and be admitted to hospital.
The report concludes that acting early can prevent crises from occurring, saving the financial and human costs of ill health, but more philanthropy is needed to increase this support where statutory funding has reduced.
Quartet, the West of England’s only community foundation, gathered data about mental health issues across Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
It is giving recommendations for making charitable donations more effective in supporting local groups working to prevent mental health issues arising.
Some 36% of Quartet’s funding last year through its grants programmes was directed at strengthening local communities and promoting healthy living. It made £900,000 in grants to small, local groups enhancing health and wellbeing in the local area, strengthening communities and supporting those most vulnerable to the effects of ill health.
Vital Signs details 10 ‘vital steps’ that people can take to make a difference – ways to donate money to local good causes that enhance health and wellbeing, strengthen communities and support those most vulnerable to the effects of mental ill health.
Quartet gives out £2.8m in grants each year to support people facing disadvantage in the region’s local communities and give as many people as possible the chance to fulfil their potential.
Since it was formed in 1987 it has funded more than £43m towards local projects
For more information or to find out how to fund a local project, go to www.quartetcf.org.uk
