Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow Mind (HFEH) officially marked its one year anniversary of the UK's first crisis prevention café on 5 February.

Better known as Circle, the café is a safe space for children and young people to talk about mental health.

To celebrate the success and impact the Circle café pilot has had on young people's lives, Circle Ambassador and Hollywood star, Will Poulter, alongside Nana Owusu, Director of Youth Services and Clinical Lead, led discussions and reflections with young people, parents, and stakeholders.

Poulter said: "I'm so happy this space exists and really excited about the many ways the Circle can expand its services and locations.

"I want to see more of these because of the lives we are saving, and the work being carried out here is lifesaving."

HFEH Mind says over 500 Children and Young People have accessed the Circle last year (credit: HFEH Mind).

Sharing the sentiment, Owusu said: "I'm incredibly proud of what we have achieved in such a short space of time here at the Circle.

"We are a vital part of wrap around care and together we will continue to destigmatise mental health and help children and young people access the help they so desperately need."

Mind says its goal is to 'illuminate the Circle as an extraordinary service model', highlighting how taking care of problems early helps ease the pressure on NHS mental health services and emergency hospitals.

Also at the event, was Dr Rupa Huq MP for Ealing Central & Acton who said: "It was inspiring and moving to hear service users and their parents talk about the transformative impact that the Circle has had on their mental health."

Hammersmith, Fulham, Ealing and Hounslow Mind officially marked its one year anniversary on 5 February (credit: HFEH Mind).

Adding: "The success of the Circle underlines just how important it is that open-access mental health hubs are made available to all young children and young people in every community across the UK."

The mental health charity invited guests to engage in conversations that would shed light on the pressing need for sustained investment.

"We are trying to build resilience in young people, we want them to be able to live with their mental health and use it to empower and strengthen them to go forward and make positive life decisions, and to be able to rise to challenges and be brave", said Julie Pal Chair of the Board of Trustees at HFEH Mind.

Circle is the first Children and Young People's Crisis Prevention Café in the UK (credit: HFEH Mind).

Johan Redelinghuys, Clinical Director for Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services, West London NHS Trust added: "Over the last year we have observed the impact The Circle has had, which shows that making earlier mental health support available to children and young people at risk of going into crisis, increases the chances of a positive outcome for them and their families."

To find out more about HFEH Mind, click here

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