A pop-up coffee club to help vulnerable mums and dads cope with parenthood and a training initiative to support young domestic abuse survivors are among this year’s recipients of Kent and Medway suicide prevention funding.

Canterbury social enterprise Route23 and Swale domestic abuse charity SATEDA, are two of 10 projects working to help people through tough times.

They have successfully applied for 2024 Better Mental Health and Wellbeing Community Fund grants of between £500 to £15,000.

The scheme is funded by NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board, and run by Kent County Council (KCC) and Medway Council.

It has supported more than 100 organisations who aim to save lives and prevent self-harm saving lives for the past six years.

KCC Director of Public Health, Dr Anjan Ghosh, said: “It saddens me greatly that the impacts of the Covid pandemic and cost of living crisis continue to play out – making more people vulnerable and unfairly impacting our most deprived communities.

“We know all our grant recipients make a difference, providing expert support, friendship and hope to those who feel lost and alone.”

NHS Kent and Medway’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Kate Langford, said: “It’s these smaller organisations, often run by volunteers, that can help build an effective network of mental health support in our communities.

“People can learn from others who have been through similar experiences, understand how to help themselves and know where to go for support when they need it.”

For confidential support on an emotional issue, call Samaritans on 116 123 at any time or click here to visit the website.

If you want to talk to someone confidentially, click here.

Carey Philpott, Chief Executive of SATEDA, said: “Through the ‘Choose Liberty’ programme, we will help young women to understand their relationships and the choices they have. By promoting inner strength and sharing techniques to help increase mental wellness and resilience, we can reduce the risk of harm from domestic abuse."

Other recipients include: Emerge, based in Medway Maritime Hospital; The Autism Apprentice, Sheppey; Blackthorn Trust, Maidstone; wHoo Care, Hoo; Kent Association for the Blind; Kent Family Hub, Ashford; Route 23, Canterbury; Luna Foundation and SATEDA Swale.