Hearts and Minds is helping people get through their toughest moments

This is the message of Hearts and Minds, a Wimbledon mental health support group started by 23-year-old Beth Ingram in September 2017.

She started it after her own struggles with mental health problems and attempted suicides saw her hospitalised.

“When I was at my most unwell I felt everyone ran a mile,” said Beth.

“I had to drop out of school and there weren’t things for me to do – that was making me worse.

“I was in and out of hospital. I found that a lot of us with mental health problems, we would get ourselves admitted to just to have help.

“It pushes people to crisis point, it was services that taught me I needed to self harm to be seen.

But she struggled to find appropriate services and at one point she was in a day centre where the next youngest person was in their 50s.

Her experience was echoed by others who found that mental health services were not there for them – especially those trying to access support in their late teens or as young adults.

Beth said: “I was fed up of not being able to access support around mental health and it not being good enough.

“I knew there was a need but imagined it to be a small weekly group but it has grown and grown.”

Now 10-15 young people gather at Wimbledon Library each Tuesday and more than 100 people have been supported by the group.

Anand, 24, has been in the group since it started. He was a top Cambridge student and his mental health struggles came on suddenly after his first year.

Anand

“I went from being in the top five per cent of the year to a year later when I was first admitted for suicidal planning,” he said.

“Over the course of the second year it started as physical and emotional I didn’t want to engage with other people.

“I had to take time out and things became more severe. At home I didn’t have a structure.

“The only services I accessed through the NHS was a music group where I was the youngest by 15-20 years.

“After I came here there were people closer to my age.”

At the sessions the group does art-focused projects or plays games.

There is a check in and check out where members can talk as much as they want.

Beth added: “Whether it is a discussion activity or games it is all about something that people can communicate over.

Beth Ingram

“When talking to young people, most don’t want to sit in a serious circle – it can be intimidating and distressing.”

Mark, 20, joined the group in November 2017 and is now a volunteer with the group.

He was diagnosed with Asperger’s at 17 and was first referred to CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health services) at 14.

He said: “I was trying my best to hide it but at that point it was difficult. I became nocturnal which isn’t great when you’re doing your GCSEs and I had to take four months off school.”

Mark said one of his highlights of being involved with the group was the ‘umbrellas project’ where the group decorated umbrellas for an art installation at Wimbledon Tennis Club.

The group receives no funding from Merton Council or the NHS, although GPs sometimes advise young people to attend the group.

It is supported by the Wimbledon Foundation, the charity of the All England Lawn Tennis Club and The Championships.

Another young woman, who asked not to be named, told how isolating having mental health problems can be for young people.

She said after she was bullied at work by a boss she became unemployed for 18 months.

Artwork created by the Hearts and Minds group

About her former boss she said: “She started treating me differently when she found out about the fact I took anti-depressants.

“At first she showed complete ignorance then she would say things more personal.

“She said that I would have committed suicide if I had been through what other people had.

“I was terrified of applying for a new job and I didn’t leave my house much.”

One of the younger members of the group Ceri also spoke of how isolating it can be for young people.

The 16-year-old said: “I got quite unwell when I was 12 and when I was in year 10 I hit rock bottom I was extremely isolated and couldn’t go to school.

“A nurse at the hospital told me about the group. There is a real sense of community at Hearts and Minds, you are treated as a human and a friend and not a patient here.”

And it is the sense of community that Beth thinks is key to the group’s success.

She added: “We are a group who would’ve never met because we have some shared experience and desire to want to help each other.

“Sometimes what you need is that community to believe in you.”

Hearts and Minds supports young people aged 14-25 experiencing mental health difficulties.

The group meets every Tuesday at from 6-8pm at Wimbledon Library. Visit heartsandminds.org.uk for more information.