HOME-Start Wyre Forest have secured a huge £372,498 grant for a new psychological therapy service for adults and children.

The new grant has been awarded by The National Lottery Community Fund, the UK’s largest community funder, which distributes money raised by lottery players to good causes.

The new 'Safe & Strong' service will offer a package of psychological therapy, alongside home visiting and group support, to people with mental health difficulties who do not meet the threshold for statutory services.

The family support charity has provided parent to parent befriending support for the last 24 years in the Wyre Forest through a team of trained and supervised community volunteers.

This grant will also see additional training and development opportunities for the scheme`s volunteer team and the creation of a new paid project worker post.

Belinda Darby, manager at Home-Start Wyre Forest, said: "Safe & Strong is a partnership project with a group of local clinicians from The Family Psychologist, who have delivered project work with us successfully before. We are delighted to be in a position to roll out Safe & Strong over the coming five years and ensure the package of support we offer can also include specialist psychological services to those who need it."

Matt Poole, Senior Head of Regional Funding for the Midlands at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting Home-Start Wyre Forest with its Safe & Strong project. Thanks to National Lottery players, people will be able to receive help to improve their mental health and build their resilience, supporting them and their families to thrive.”