About Us – Filling a gap in community mental health support
The closure of South Lakeland MIND in 2019 left a significant gap in local community mental health services. Public mental health services are over-stretched despite 1 in 4 people in the United Kingdom experiencing mental health issues annually. In England, 1 in 6 people experience a mental health problem, such as depression and anxiety, in any given week. Because of this, peer support and mental health charities are a lifeline for many people.
“This is the first time, in a long time, that I’ve been able to relax and feel comfortable somewhere other than home.”
Lighthouse User
Who We Are
Founder: Madeleine (Maddy) Iddon, along with Megan Wood, Fiona Cameron and Gareth Davies (the original Trustees), formed the charity, and she served as CEO from its inception in 2019 until January 2022. Maddy directed services, managed funding and built relationships with other support services in the local area. Maddy had confessed ‘imposter syndrome’ about being a CEO/Director but used this to help empower others to dream big despite their struggles.
Trustees: Currently, we have three trustees and are seeking people with a genuine interest in shaping the future direction and development of the Lighthouse who would like to join them. The present Trustees have a breadth of experience, including lived experience of poor mental health, and most have previously volunteered for The Lighthouse (or South Lakeland MIND). Some continue to be users of our Drop-In groups alongside volunteering as Trustees and Peer Supporters.
Peer Support Volunteers: A team of wonderful peer support volunteers facilitate our services, and they strive to do as much as possible to help improve the lives of everyone they meet. Many of these volunteers have lived experience of mental health issues or have previously worked in a care capacity. Some of our volunteers started as Lighthouse users and now volunteer their time to help others. For more information, visit our Volunteering page.
Other Roles: We are looking to expand our services and plan to introduce new roles to our organisation. New positions will include coordination of services, fundraising, marketing/social media, and office administration. In time, we hope to attract funding to support new paid roles.
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”
Anon
Our dedicated staff and volunteers manage the Lighthouse services and will respond to your messages as soon as possible.
For more information about The Lighthouse, visit our What We Do page, and to share our content, use the links below. If you want to receive our monthly Newsletter, head to our ‘Subscribe to The Lighthouse Newsletter‘ page to sign up.
