The Mental Health Service in Shrewbury/Shropshire launch their wellbeing bus

A new bus is hitting the road with the aim of helping those with mental health needs.

Transcript

00:00So we're here outside Shrewsbury Abbey and it's a rather fantastic looking bus.

00:04What's happening guys? Introduce yourselves.

00:06So I'm Heather Olin, the CEO of Shropshire Mental Health Support.

00:10And I'm Councillor David Fasman, the Mayor of Shrewsbury

00:13and Shropshire Mental Health Support is one of my charities we're supporting this year.

00:17Ah, well done. So what's this bus all about then?

00:19So this is our second wellbeing vehicle.

00:22We tested out the first vehicle just to see if the concept worked and it really did work.

00:28So we go out around Shropshire to rural areas to support those people who aren't able to come into Shrewsbury

00:35with their mental health needs.

00:37So will it be kind of, there'll be allocated slots so people in villages and that will know the bus is coming

00:42so and so day, is that how it works?

00:44Yeah, so we'll be in Wick Church, Ellesmere, Highley on a monthly basis.

00:50So people will know that we're going to be there, what day we're going to be there

00:54and they can come along and gain mental health support from our support workers who are going to be on duty.

01:00Yeah, I guess that's the important bit.

01:02So who's going to be in this bus to help them then?

01:04Okay, so we've got a dedicated team of mental health support workers

01:07who are all very passionate about providing support to people in Shropshire with their mental health needs.

01:18Well, it's fantastic, isn't it?

01:20So what about funding then? These things don't come for free, so have you been a help along the way?

01:24We fundraised for this vehicle, it was our 50th anniversary year last year

01:29so we had a charity ball and raised funds that way

01:34and various other organisations and individuals have raised money and donated it to us

01:39either from sponsorships, people have cycled to Paris,

01:47organisations have raised money, you know, graffos and social events and things like that.

01:51So Mr Mayor, why your chosen charity then? You're obviously fully aware of the good work they do.

01:56Yes, they do excellent work and it's because mental health has been such an important problem really,

02:02a big problem particularly since Covid.

02:04And I think the work that Shropshire Mental Health Support are doing is really excellent

02:08in terms of giving people support throughout Shropshire and not just in Shrewsbury.

02:13Well, well done guys and good luck with the new bus. Thank you. Cheers.