Northumberland charity receives new caravan courtesy of Big Lottery Fund
It’s official now, caravans do actually make you happier. In what we can only describe as a generous helping of that feel good factor bright and early this Monday morning, a Northumberland based mental health charity has received £50,000 from the Big Lottery Fund.
What’s more, the big winnings will be used for a new caravan that will provide therapeutic breaks for those who need it most. The current caravan at Contact Morpeth Mental Health Group has been in use for about seven years, and its replacement could provide important mental health breaks for those suffering from anxiety, depression and schizophrenia.
Contact’s centre manager, Audrey Anderson, told the Morpeth Herald that the funds would also be used for site fees and annual maintenance. She added: “This caravan has been well-used and it needed to be replaced, so we’re delighted that we will be able to get a new one in place in early 2015. As with the one at the moment, it will have features like central heating and double glazed windows and it will be big enough to accommodate a family group.”
The site has a range of facilities available, including visits to the nearby towns of Berwick, Holy Island and Bamburgh Castle. There are also a number of activities such as tennis, bingo, quizzes, cycling and swimming.
The new caravan is sure to boost the facilities at Contact Morpeth Mental Health Group, while keeping costs low enough for everyone to afford a much-needed break. Spending time outdoors has been proven to improve mental health and raise concentration levels, so the next time you take off on a caravan holiday, remember that you’re doing yourself a huge favour.
