A new centre to help with mental health could remain closed for months at a critical time after being hit with an unexpected bill.
The first Discovery College in the Highlands, in the old Argos unit in the Eastgate Centre, held a formal launch in in September.
Led by mental health charity Centred Scotland, the Inverness facility planned to offer online and face-to-face courses and peer support.
It was gearing up for a busy pre-Christmas period helping people dealing with isolation, loneliness and stress.
Why is the Discovery College shut?
But it has since closed with the charity having to find a substantial amount of funding due to “ever-escalating costs and unexpected setbacks”.
This includes a £17,000 bill for additional fire safety equipment ahead of building inspectors issuing the college’s completion certificate.
Donna Booth, Centred’s learning and resilience manager, said: “It is above and beyond anything we expected to have to do.
“It will mean a potential delay of several months before we can open.”
The Discovery College has started a fundraising drive, but the closure comes at a particularly bad time.
“We rely completely on grant funding, fundraising and donations and are extremely grateful for the support we’ve had so far”, says Ms Booth.
“We don’t have the funds at the moment to cover this final cost.
“Mental Health is at crisis point across the Highlands and winter is particularly bad, especially in the run up to Christmas and the period after when loneliness, money worries and stress reach a peak.
“It was our hope to be open very shortly after our launch in September so that we could provide a full range of services over winter and in to a new year.”
‘People are struggling’
She said the charity has been approached by many health services and others looking to use the college.
“Our peer supporters are regularly approached in the community by people who are struggling and want to know when we will be open.
“It has been disheartening to have to say, ‘not quite yet’.”
Online service are continuing, as well as in-person sessions in Caithness and soon in Fort William.
If the money was available, the required works could be completed in January and the centre re-opened almost immediately after that.
Ms Booth added: “Every penny raised on our fundraising page will go directly to getting the Discovery College finished and opened as soon as possible.
“It will help us to make a significant difference of the people of Inverness and the Highlands at a time when the need has never been greater.”
Eastgate Centre manager Chris Kershaw said: “At the start of this year, we welcomed Centred into Eastgate free of charge as we believe it would be a great use for the space whilst supporting a great charity providing tremendous services.
“Where requested, we have supported the team as much as possible.
Working to get the college opened
“While they’ve encountered delays in securing approval for their opening, our commitment to their cause remains.
“It is massively disappointing for us also that they have been as yet unable to open.
“However our support remains as before and we will continue to work with Centred to get this great service opened.”
In October it was revealed Centred was making cuts due to a £400,000 deficit.
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