Two groups to support people who need a safe space to talk have been launched in Fort William.
At the first meetings, held in the town this week, a “good number” of people came out to talk, and to listen at what is hoped will be a long-running mental health and suicide support group.
The groups, both named Mindfit, are following in the footpath of two similar groups in Oban, one for men and one for women.
The men’s group will be held on a Monday and the women will meet on a Tuesday at Crossfit in the Ben Nevis Industrial Estate.
Aly Russell, one of the facilitators at the men’s group, said he was pleased with how the first two had gone.
He said: “We got on really well and had two very successful first nights with plenty of room for people to come along and talk to us.
“Everyone is welcome.
“We plan to get out and about and tell people about the groups over the summer and we hope that anyone who needs to talk will come along to join us.”
After losing their own son to suicide, Rosie Gillespie and her husband Malcolm set up Ewen’s Room, a support service for people in Lochaber who need to talk.
Mrs Gillespie welcomed the setting up of Mindfit, and said: ” I’ve been very involved in talking to people in Fort William, who have lost, not only young people to suicide, but also to early death due to using drugs.
“It’s an ongoing problem. There’s been a real explosion of interest over the last few months, in what Ewen’s Room is doing.
“So what is really important here is that people are working towards the same goal. And what we all want is to improve the support out there in our local community, for what I’ve always called “fragile” people.
“Let’s hope that this will give people the support they need, and the ability to be able to offload what is going on in their mind to people who understand and will listen.”
Lochaber Mindfit will meet every Monday, for men, and Tuesday, for women, from 7pm-9pm.
