A mental health charity has revealed it has no core funding to prevent its imminent closure.
And the news has prompted warnings it would leave a “huge gap” for scores of vulnerable people in Aberdeenshire.
Pillar Kincardine has been struggling to survive since funding from the council ended at the end of last year.
After disagreeing with changes being implemented by the authority, Pillar declined to renew their contract and argued it would reduce help available to vulnerable people regarded as having “low-level need”.
However, a motion of support was passed this week at the Kincardine and Mearns area committee which was raised by councillor, Alison Evison, asking for “mental health to be treated with the same level of importance as physical health”.
Mrs Evison said: “I am totally supportive of the mental health strategy being pursued by Aberdeenshire across the authority, but I think Pillar continues to have something unique to offer in the local area to help reduce the stigma often associated with mental health.”
Adding that she had recently herself attended one of the social walks the group provides, she maintained “human contact” was invaluable.
She added: “I was impressed by the range of groups organised by Pillar – Meet and Eat, an allotment group and a women’s group in particular.”
Chair of the Stonehaven and District Community Council, Phil Mills Bishop, thinks the small-scale nature of Pillar helps it to thrive.
He added: “There is a current belief large and big is better and saves money. The ethos of ‘small is beautiful’ is exemplified in Pillar.”
Based in Stonehaven for 28 years, the organisation currently has more than 70 members and users and service manager Moira Hurry, can see daily the positive impact of the charity.
She said: “We still don’t have any core funding in place, although I am in the middle of some funding applications.
“We have just started a new Team 26.2 campaign to raise awareness and are asking people to join together and walk, run, swim, row or indeed, any method they feel like, to travel 26.2 miles.
This week’s motion asked the Integrated Joint Board to produce a report mapping out the total extent of mental health provision (including Pillar) for the next Area Committee on August 22.
For further details on Pillar’s Team 26.2 campaign email: team26.2@pillarkincardine.co.uk
