Two major mental health charities announce merger to support more people

Two major mental health charities have announced plans to merge together to reach more people in need of support across five boroughs.

Lambeth and Southwark Mind and Bromley, Lewisham and Greenwich Mind, are planning to merge in the new year.

The new, larger organisation is expected to support more than 11,500 people in its first year, offering a range of mental health and dementia services across the five London boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark, Bromley, Lewisham, and Greenwich. 

The services currently provided by both charities will not be affected, and service users will continue to be supported after the merger has been completed on January 1, 2024.

The charities teams have already been working together since 2021, to support hundreds of people who have lost loved ones to suicide. The organisations have also collaborated with shared partners like South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, to deliver services.

The move comes as data from the charity shows one in four people currently experience a mental health problem of some kind each year.

Ben Taylor, chief executive of Bromley, Lewisham, and Greenwich Mind said: “Joining forces with Lambeth and Southwark Mind will be positive for everyone involved. 

“We firmly believe that merging will create a stronger organisation, meaning that we can reach a growing number of people and ensure they receive the support and respect they deserve.”

(Picture: BLG Mind)