A major mental healthcare charity has launched its first fundraising appeal in over 100 years.
St Andrew’s Healthcare, which specialises in complex mental health support, was founded in 1838 and gets most of its more than £200m income from the government.
It this week launched an “ambitious” fundraising appeal, called For Hope in Every Life, which encourages supporters to donate directly or take on a fundraising challenge.
Funds raised will support care and recovery for people with complex needs, the charity said, such as acquired brain injury, schizophrenia, personality disorder and complex dementia.
‘Hugely ambitious’
The charity’s most recently recorded annual income for the year ending 31 March 2024 of just under £218m – its highest amount since before the Covid-19 pandemic and the first since then it had not recorded a deficit.
Only £120,000 St Andrew’s Healthcare’s most recently recorded annual income had been sourced from donations and legacies.
Around £189m came from government contracts, as the charity currently works in partnership with the NHS to deliver care for patients in hospital and in the community.
Donations from the appeal will fund additional programmes not covered by the statutory funding, which may include the likes of therapeutic garden programmes; musical and sport workshops and specialist research into complex mental health conditions.
Vivienne McVey, chief executive of St Andrew’s Healthcare, said: “For Hope in Every Life is hugely ambitious. We want to help transform the lives of thousands of people who are often overlooked in our society.
“We want to support them to find a sense of self, connect with their community and live a better life.”
Meanwhile, Oli Hiscoe, the charity’s head of fundraising, said the fundraising campaign would help the charity to “go the extra mile” for patients.
“By combining innovation, compassion, and evidence-based approaches, we strive to revolutionise complex mental health care and show what is possible when we go over and above for our patients,” he said.
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