Wrexham-based mental health charity Advance Brighter Futures (ABF) and social enterprise café Caffi Wylfa have teamed up to tackle stigma head-on. Raising awareness of mental health in the community.
ABF’s Zoe and Café Wylfa’s Brian first met at last year’s inaugural Wrexham Business and Community Awards (WBCA) when they were both nominated in the same category.
WBCA is a celebration of local excellence and social impact. The ceremony was hosted by BBC presenter and sports reporter Jason Mohammad. Caffi Wylfa won Social Enterprise of the Year, a testament to their dedication to making a difference. The WBCA raised a whopping £20,000 that they donated to their carefully selected charities, which included Advance Brighter Futures.
Zoe says, “It’s been a pleasure to meet Brian and the team at Caffi Wylfa. We soon realised after meeting that we both have a commitment to doing our bit and raising awareness around mental health. At ABF, we’ve been delivering training for almost 10 years. With Caffi Wylfa’s understanding and care for their local community – as well as their high footfall of over 70,000 visitors a year. It seemed a no-brainer that we should partner up and see what we could do together to raise awareness within the community of Chirk and beyond.”
Make a Difference
This work has already begun with the first suicide awareness training delivered to community members in Chirk. Funded by Caffi Wylfa and Chirk Town Council.
The training equips people to be more alert to someone with thoughts of suicide and better able to connect them with further help. Using a simple yet effective model, the training empowers everyone to make a difference. With over 120,000 people attending the programme each year worldwide, it’s the world’s fastest-growing suicide awareness training course.
Zoe expresses her thanks, stating, “We’re truly grateful to the Wrexham Business and Community Awards. Not only for the vital funds raised but for bringing ABF and Café Wylfa together.
For more information you can visit advancebrighterfutures.co.uk or email info@abfwxm.co.uk.
If you, or someone you know, needs immediate support, helplines are available that can offer 24/7 support and advice:
- Samaritans – Call 116 123
- CALL Helpline – Call 0800 132 737
- NHS 111 – Mental Health Support – Call 111 and select option 2
- Shout – Text 8525
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