Mental Health Innovations has partnered with The Prince of Wales’s charity the British Asian Trust to provide mental health support to members of its diaspora who are living in the UK.
Recent weeks have seen the pandemic worsen in India, as daily Covid-19 rates rise at an alarming pace. The British Asian Trust has been increasingly contacted by UK based members, who have family and friends affected by the pandemic in India. Many have lost loved ones and are increasingly distressed and in need of emotional support.
In response to the crisis, Mental Health Innovations has joined forces with the charity to provide its Shout 85258 24/7 text support service to British Indian diaspora members as they deal with grief, anxiety and stress in these challenging times. Offering the Shout service to families in the UK will complement the grassroots support provided by the British Asian Trust to organisations on the ground and in immediate need in India.
Abha Thorat-Shah, Executive Director, Social Finance at the British Asian Trust said: “We are very grateful to work in partnership with Mental Health Innovations to offer social and emotional support to our community. The Shout 85258 service will offer comfort at a time when many of us have not seen family for over a year, have dealt with bereavement without being there in person and are managing the anxiety of being away from family when they are ill.”
Victoria Hornby, Chief Executive of Mental Health Innovations, the charity behind the Shout 85258 service said: “In recent weeks we have all been following the devastating news of the Covid-19 crisis in India. The plight of friends and family being affected so badly by the pandemic while being unable to see them, is understandably extremely distressing for members of the British Indian diaspora.
“At Mental Health Innovations we are delighted to be able to provide immediate mental health support through our 24/7 text service Shout 85258. Anyone who is struggling to cope and needs someone to listen can text SHOUT to 85258 day or night to talk to one of our trained volunteers and receive free, confidential support.”
The co-branded support is available to anyone living in the UK who has been affected by the Covid-19 crisis in India.
You can find out more about how Shout works by visiting www.giveusashout.org
