Wiltshire Mind set to close its doors

11:25am Wednesday 1st August 2012 in News By Mike Wilkinson, Senior Reporter

Tony Butler, CEO of Wiltshire Mind, with staff and clients at the charity's Trowbridge base Tony Butler, CEO of Wiltshire Mind, with staff and clients at the charity's Trowbridge base

The mental health charity Wiltshire Mind is to close two years after it was stripped of its funding from Wiltshire Council.

The charity will close on December 7, 2012, after it was unable to find alternative core funding.

The trustees announced the decision on Wednesday morning after the charity had tried to support itself financially for two years by using its reserves.

In a statement, the charity’s trustees said: “Having lost its funding in 2010 Wiltshire Mind has been self supporting for the last two years, running from reserves but the charity has found it almost impossible to obtain new funding to run its core services.

“Working in a rural area the charity’s costs are high and it can no longer be self-sustained. With no further funding on the horizon the decision has had to be made now that services will close.”

Wiltshire Mind’s clients have been informed that all information and support groups will close during the week beginning November 12 and the counselling service will also wind up then.

The Charity Commission and Companies House are being informed.

General manager Carolyn Long said: “This decision has been taken with great reluctance but sadly there seems to be no alternative as we have simply not been able to find the money needed to run Wiltshire Mind on a day-to-day basis.

“We are making every effort to signpost our service users to other organisations and will work to the end to ensure that we offer them all possible support.

“We are also ensuring that our staff, who have shown great dedication, are supported throughout this difficult time and in seeking future employment.

“We are still hoping even at this late stage that funds might be found and if enough funding can be obtained we would be delighted to continue what is a valued and much needed service.“

The charity was founded in 1993 to provide care and information for people experiencing mental distress.

Comments (4)

4:02pm Thu 2 Aug 12

underdogs says...

There was a time, many many years ago when Wiltshire MIND was a supportive and genuine organisation, but regretably a number of issues have arisen in recent years leading to withdrawal of funding and an extremely serious complaint being made against this ' charity '. With the ongoing failings of AWP being identified with worrying regularity over the years by NHS Wiltshire & South England Strategic and various coroners, it is clear a DECENT HONEST & GENUINE mental health support charity is required in Wiltshire, as from what ive experienced neither organisation is fit for purpose !
There was a time, many many years ago when Wiltshire MIND was a supportive and genuine organisation, but regretably a number of issues have arisen in recent years leading to withdrawal of funding and an extremely serious complaint being made against this ' charity '. With the ongoing failings of AWP being identified with worrying regularity over the years by NHS Wiltshire & South England Strategic and various coroners, it is clear a DECENT HONEST & GENUINE mental health support charity is required in Wiltshire, as from what ive experienced neither organisation is fit for purpose ! underdogs

10:56pm Thu 2 Aug 12

trowbridge52 says...

Mind was a farce anyway most the staff who were supposedly Mental Health trained had a one day course on mental health, could not handle a crisis, did not know where to turn in a crisis, were more worried about the staff than the clients , and towards the end of havibg the house in Newtown were a joke in how they handled clients, Alabare the new provider are just as bad and are incompetent too so its not suprising that the clients of AWP are being failed in the community not just by them but also by the charities being paid to support them .I believe it should all be reviewed and more client imput to what they need to help them
Mind was a farce anyway most the staff who were supposedly Mental Health trained had a one day course on mental health, could not handle a crisis, did not know where to turn in a crisis, were more worried about the staff than the clients , and towards the end of havibg the house in Newtown were a joke in how they handled clients, Alabare the new provider are just as bad and are incompetent too so its not suprising that the clients of AWP are being failed in the community not just by them but also by the charities being paid to support them .I believe it should all be reviewed and more client imput to what they need to help them trowbridge52

1:29pm Fri 3 Aug 12

underdogs says...

trowbridge52 - glad I am not alone on the experiences ive had with these organisations ! If only the Gazette would run a story of the service users experiences - rather than just the 'PC' version that omits to mention the issues and serious failings of these organisations. By failing to disclose the truth in the press, it often results in poor or bad service continuing to adversely affect the end user. Maybe the Gazette would also like to know Tony Butler is no longer CEO of Wiltshire Mind according to their last annual report, and the photograph of the 'Headquarters' is out of date, as this building was sold, and the new HQ is at Giffords Surgery, Melksham. I did try to ring Mike Wilkinson on these matters, but he didnt ring back !
trowbridge52 - glad I am not alone on the experiences ive had with these organisations ! If only the Gazette would run a story of the service users experiences - rather than just the 'PC' version that omits to mention the issues and serious failings of these organisations. By failing to disclose the truth in the press, it often results in poor or bad service continuing to adversely affect the end user. Maybe the Gazette would also like to know Tony Butler is no longer CEO of Wiltshire Mind according to their last annual report, and the photograph of the 'Headquarters' is out of date, as this building was sold, and the new HQ is at Giffords Surgery, Melksham. I did try to ring Mike Wilkinson on these matters, but he didnt ring back ! underdogs

9:28am Sun 5 Aug 12

masie11 says...

Perhaps the Staff and CEO should cur there pay and the trustess not claim so much in expensives Like most of these organisations the trustess are just there to inflated there own ego's
Perhaps the Staff and CEO should cur there pay and the trustess not claim so much in expensives Like most of these organisations the trustess are just there to inflated there own ego's masie11

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