19/02/2025
This is the hardest announcement we have ever had to make.
Since 2013 Trauma Breakthrough has provided vital specialist mental health services at no or low cost to hundreds of people across the South West every year. However, along with all charities we are facing the most challenging funding environment most of us have ever known. Since 2020 we have seen demand increase by 2750% - from 2 or 3 a month to over 100 every month.
Despite the fact that over 80% of our service-users have been referred by NHS mental health services and GP surgeries, we get absolutely no funding from the NHS or Local Government. At the same time, many other funding bodies are closing their programmes or changing the types of things that they will support. As a result it is no longer financially possible for us to continue, and the trustees have taken the difficult decision to close the charity.
All of our counselling, psychotherapy and support services will come to an end by 7th March 2025, and the charity as a whole will close by the end of March.
Most of the people who come to us have very complex mental health needs. Often, they have been referred to mental health services or have presented at Accident and Emergency Departments many times, and typically they have been trying to get suitable help for years or even decades without success. Whilst we are doing everything we can to identify alternative sources of support, there is almost nothing available, and we are deeply concerned that many people will just fall through the gaps in current mental health provision.
We are heartbroken for our service-users who will now not get the help they so desperately need, and for our amazing and dedicated staff team who have devoted so much time and energy in helping survivors of trauma to recover.
