The team at the Edinburgh Crisis Centre are cheering on one of their volunteers as she begins a running challenge during January. Nicky Braidwood from Edinburgh is aiming to run 100 miles in January to raise awareness of the Centre’s work.
Her fundraising page can be found here: https://bit.ly/38ISYKL
The Edinburgh Crisis Centre is managed by Penumbra on a daily basis and by a representative group involving Centre user representatives (supported by Advocard), NHS Lothian, City of Edinburgh Council, and the Edinburgh Carers’ Council as part of an ongoing Public Social Partnership.
The Penumbra team at the Crisis Centre supports around 2000 people each year. The team at the Edinburgh Crisis Centre provides short term emotional and mental health support to people in the city aged 16 and over who are in distress or who are at risk of suicide and self-harm, and provides a safe and non-judgemental environment where people can talk in confidence.
People aged 16 and over living in Edinburgh can contact the Centre for support by email or freephone: crisis@edinburghcrisiscentre.org.uk – 0808 801 0414. The team also have a facebook page.
Penumbra is one of Scotland’s largest mental health charities supporting 1800 adults and young people each week across Scotland. In addition to grassroots support services, the charity also campaigns nationally to promote positive messages around mental health and works with government to improve mental health policies. The charity is a member of the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group and is a partner in #UnitedToPreventSuicide.
Edinburgh Crisis Centre Assistant Manager, Nick Bell, commented: “We’re really lucky to have Nicky as our volunteer gardener here at the centre and we’re all cheering her on through her 100-miler.
“One of the things we hope that will come out of Nicky’s mammoth run is that it’ll get people talking and thinking about mental health and wellbeing. We also hope it’ll be a reminder to people that our team are here in the city and can offer support 24/7 to people aged 16 and over across Edinburgh free of charge by freephone or email.
“The pandemic has been daunting for everyone, and there’s a real risk that people already living with mental ill health could find themselves in distress. The pressures of dealing with isolation, financial worries, and other impacts of lockdown are potentially creating a perfect storm for people reaching crisis. We want people to know that even during lockdown, they can still contact us for support 24/7.”
Fundraiser Nicky Braidwood added: “My aim is to run 100 miles during the month of January to raise funds for this amazing place, which is close to my heart. I am the volunteer gardener at the centre and I love what I do there.
“The Edinburgh Crisis Centre is a 24/7 service and supports about 2000 people each year so any amount raised would be massively appreciated, and it will spur me on to complete my challenge.
“I really hope that my fundraiser raises awareness around the importance of talking about mental health and suicide prevention, and to let people know that there is support out there in Edinburgh if you’re experiencing feelings of distress or reaching a point of crisis.”
