A mental health charity that supports people across Cambridgeshire has had a £1,000 donation to support communities in preventing suicide.

Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire (CPSL) Mind were handed over the cheque by homebuilder Barratt and David Wilson Homes.

The housebuilder’s donation will help to support the charity’s recently launched ‘Dad’s Matter’ course.

This course, which runs alongside the ‘Mum’s Matter’ sessions, and will ensure the provision of support for Dads during the perinatal period – from expecting a baby up to the child being two years old.

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The donation will also enhance and extend the reach of the charity’s services, including the award-winning STOP Suicide campaign which empowers local communities and individuals to prevent suicide.

Catherine Keating, community fundraiser at CPSL Mind, said: “We are so grateful for Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ support and for helping us to raise awareness. Donations such as this enable us to enhance our services and make a difference to the lives of even more local people.

“Last year was a difficult time for all of us and as we begin to ease out of lockdown, we know that many people will still be struggling with their mental health, experiencing problems such as anxiety, stress and depression.

“Throughout the pandemic, our staff and volunteers have continued to provide all of our services, mostly remotely, to maintain mental health support for our community.

“In 2020, across our services at CPSL Mind we provided direct support to 5,900 individuals.

“Demand across our region remains high, so this donation truly does mean a great deal to us.”

With an estimated one in five people experiencing suicidal thoughts, STOP Suicide equips the local community with the knowledge and skills to spot warning signs, ask directly about suicide and help those feeling suicidal to stay safe.

Adrian Jarman, operations director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes Cambridgeshire, said: “As a leading housebuilder we strive to support the communities in and around the areas in which we build and were delighted to be able to offer CPSL Mind a donation to support the fantastic work it does.”

To find out more about the work CPSL Mind does, visit https://www.cpslmind.org.uk/