Support young people during Mental Health Awareness Week

This Mental Health Awareness Week (12 to 18 May), support the Richmond upon Thames Voluntary Fund to help make a real difference to the wellbeing of young people across the borough.

This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, themed ‘Community’, highlights the important role of community in improving mental wellbeing.

Here in Richmond upon Thames, the Richmond Voluntary Fund (Registered Charity No. 1186870) exemplifies the power of collective action. Created to give residents the opportunity to support local voluntary and community organisations, it is helping to fund vital services for children, young people and families.

Thanks to your remarkable generosity, this year’s appeal has already raised over £35,000, with new donations continuing to pour in. Every contribution helps to make a lasting difference in the lives of our young residents and their families.

If you’d like to be part of the change, you can donate online or by cheque. 

Richmond Voluntary Fund chosen charities 

This year’s appeal supports six local charities that deliver crucial mental and physical health support for children and young people. Your donations go directly to these organisations, helping them to provide therapies, resources, and essential services.

The selected charities are ADHD Embrace, Home-Start Richmond, Kingston and Hounslow, Marble Hill Playcentres, Off the Record Twickenham, The Otakar Kraus Music Trust, and Skylarks.

You can learn more about the chosen charities and their work.

Since 2020, thanks to the generosity of Richmond residents, the fund has raised more than £450,000 to support 10 organisations that provide essential services to children and young people. Last year alone, more than £87,000 was raised to support local young carers in need. 

There’s still time to donate to year’s chosen charities continue their essential work.

Need support? Help is available

Richmond upon Thames is home to a variety of mental health services for children and young people, including support for emotional wellbeing and mental health conditions. Resources are available for parents, carers, and professionals to help identify and address mental health issues early. If you have any concerns or questions, please consult your GP.

Find out more about local mental health resources for children and young people.

If you are concerned about a young person’s mental health, you can find out more information on how to get support by contacting the Single Point of Access team on 020 8547 5008, or if you need to speak to someone urgently after hours or at the weekend, call the Out of Hours team on 020 8770 5000.

More information can be found on Achieving for Children's website.