Can you help us?

Our Homeless Mental Health Service (HMHS) is an award-winning, multi-disciplinary NHS team supporting people aged 16+ who are homeless or in temporary accommodation. Our team includes two full-time mental health nurses, one occupational therapist, a part-time psychiatrist, part-time clinical psychologist, and part-time administrative support.

The team works across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland accepting providing support to individuals experiencing homelessness and any services working with homeless people.

Our target community, homeless families in temporary accommodation, is hard to reach. Currently the HMHS and the equivalent team in the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), are not receiving referrals for homeless families, which is one of the problems we want to address with the proposed event. The need is evident with over 450 families living in temporary accommodation in Leicester (often B&Bs or hotels), due to homelessness. 

We need your support

Our mission is to connect with these families through a range of targeted initiatives, including:

•            Outreach events: To help build community among homeless families, provide access to support, and explore shared solutions. These events include speakers, children’s activities, support agency stalls, and free refreshments. They also serve as the launch for a community-led psychology research project in partnership with the University of Leicester.

•            Distribution of food and drink vouchers: To help build trust and engage individuals with our services, we offer small gestures such as £5 vouchers for Greggs or Tesco. These acts of kindness foster connections and encourage acceptance of support and referrals. Continued delivery depends on charitable funding.

•            Provision of discharge and emergency supply packs: To help meet immediate needs for essential items like toiletries, clothing, bedding, and food. Many of those we support are rough sleeping or have no access to public funds. Providing these supplies is crucial to preventing social crises from developing into mental health emergencies or hospital admissions.

•            Specialised engagement training: To equip our team with survivor-designed mental health training tailored specifically to reach and support homeless children who have survived sexual abuse, enabling us to provide effective and compassionate care.

By supporting these initiatives, you will enable us to reach some of Leicester’s most vulnerable families who urgently need assistance. Your contribution will help relieve mental distress, boost physical health, and promote emotional wellbeing within our community.

“Before my contact with you, I felt patronised and not heard by services.”
“The service helped me during some of my worst periods and gave me some great advice.” - Service User

Will you help us? Even if you cannot fund the full amount, any contribution toward this vital cause would be deeply appreciated.