Mental health charity to create a therapy space in Wrexham thanks to donation

A Welsh charity which offers support to people whose lives have been affected by mental illness has received a funding boost to enable its clients to create a therapy space in a communal garden area.

North Wales Police donated the £205 to Hafal, which has a local base in Hightown, as part of the Police and Community Trust (PACT) funding.

The project aims to clear and renovate the garden area, with the donation from PACT used to buy gardening equipment.

The communal gardens are used by the residents of the houses and others in the local community. Hafal currently run a gardening group that helps people to build social skills and confidence.

This regeneration project, which has recently started, is running for six weeks to create a space in which people can socialise with one another in a safe environment. The area can also be used as a calming or meditation area by the residents too.

PCSO Murray Taylor said: “As a local PCSO, it has been expressed to me that some service users feel intimidated by police officers and PCSOs. This initiative will enable Wrexham Safer Neighbourhood Team to have greater working relations with a vulnerable group in the community”.

PCSOs were keen to work with Hafal to attend the sessions to engage with vulnerable adults in the community. They hope that once a positive relationship is established, members of the gardening group will feel comfortable to discuss and report any crimes or issues directly to the police.

Dave Evans, PACT project manager said: “We are grateful to CGI UK Ltd for their sponsorship of this project through PACT and our thanks go to Nick Hewitt, Senior Service Delivery Manager, and his team based in North Wales for their support.”

North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT) is the community safety charity that supports community-led projects that encourage a safer environment for the people of North Wales.

Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, PACT continues to champion grass-roots projects and major education programmes that support the policing and community safety priorities and strive to deliver positive outcomes for all concerned.