Community group celebrates £347,000 National Lottery funding

The S62 team - Sarah Lacey, Luke Brailsford and Samantha Smith at the soon-to-be-opened community allotment

S62 Community Together Rotherham CIC will use the money to expand its lived experience mental health activity to include one-to-one peer support for the next three years.

The group, based at The Drop-In Centre in Rawmarsh, has been running since 2011 and is staffed by four employees and seven volunteers.

It was founded by Luke Brailsford and Sarah Lacey as a group of people with lived experience to tackle mental health, isolation, poverty, and recovery in the community.

Rotherham Mayor and Rotherham Mayoress with S62 directors Luke Brailsford, Sarah Lacey and Samantha Smith

The group now facilitates up to 12 sessions a week, supporting hundreds of adults to create new social networks in a safe, community space through a host of wellness activities.

Samantha Smith, the newest director at S62 CTR, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to move forward with our plans to offer one-to-one mental health peer support to all Rotherham adults.

“As a borough we are above the national average in all areas of mental health struggles and we have seen the power of peer support in other areas of the country and the impact it has, so we are thrilled to be able to build this here in Rotherham.”

Anthony Lacey, volunteer at S62 CTR, said: “It’s life-changing for us – S62 has kept me and my peers well through our struggles with mental health, so to know we are sustainable for three years is a huge relief.”

S62 CTR held a celebration event at their headquarters on Harding Avenue to announce the good news from the National Lottery Community Fund which was attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Rotherham, Cllr Robert Taylor and Tracy Taylor.

The group has recently partnered with other organisations to create the Rotherham Adult Mental Health network with Voluntary Action Rotherham, as well as teaming up with Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust – a move which will enable the group to have a say on healthcare services and and advise on improvements.

S62 CTR is also set to launch a community allotment at Chapel Walk in Rawmarsh later this month.