As a Londoner I was dismayed when, having lived in this little rural community in North Devon for a short while, I realised there were absolutely no mental health services here, either locally, or national groups such as Mind. I had suffered with chronic depression for over 30 years but having lived and worked through it I’d become a Senior Social Worker and so, although I had sadly contracted M.E and fibromyalgia three years ago and was unable to continue working, my experience and skills made it obvious for me to start up and facilitate a mental health self help group myself. We started a year ago with a weekly meeting in the back room of Stones Solicitors building at 14 South Street, which was for sale.
My family had already set up a Fairtrade shop here, called ‘Panamart, due to our love of ‘Panama’ and their ‘art’ and crafts (see ‘Panamart Community Information Centre – Panamart Children’ to read about how we became involved in Panama).
The mental health self help group grew over the next nine months to the point that I knew that I would be leaving us all vulnerable if the shop sold and we had no place to meet, and so, three months ago we moved to the premises we now rent, a stable base for our community’s most vulnerable and needy people. The development of the group for people who suffer with any difficulty which affects their mental health wellbeing has now been endorsed by the Big Lottery Fund, who gave us a grant specifically for our, newly named ‘Esteem’ group, six month pilot project. Please go to the ‘Panamart Community Information Centre – ‘Esteem’ page to read more.
As well as the mental health support group we originally also offered the back room meetings and some youth and children’s projects but we are now able to offer a larger service for the community. Please see ‘Panamart Community Information Centre – ‘Project Rooms’ for more information.
Panamart has also recently (end Dec) taken on the lease for ‘Panamart Enterprise’, back at the Stones Solicitors building we originally rented. We have now acquired it at a peppercorn rent until it sells, for the use of the community. See the page for more about the possible uses of the building and its booking information.
‘Panamart’ is a not-for-profit community group currently with a constitution, its own bank account (2 or more signatures required to withdraw money) and committee. The committee members are :
K. Angell –Project Manager/Chair
J. Dennis – Secretary
K.Wilson - Treasurer
A.Devine - Committee Member
A. Oliver - Committee Member
R. Carvosso – Committee Member
S. Mills - Committee Member
The Panamart Committee, with all of its activity, has decided to explore becoming a ‘social enterprise’, as we would like to become responsible for funding at least our core costs, however, it will take a few years to work towards this point and in the meantime we are looking financial support from either business sponsors (£3000 a year/ £250 a month), people to become ‘a friend of Panamart’ (a donation of £100 a year) or one – off donations. If you would like any more information about how to give financial support and how you will be advertised as a sponsor or ‘friend’, please contact kizangell@btconnect.com
We would be very happy to organise a visit for anyone should you wish to look round both the’ Panamart Community Information Centre’ and ‘Panamart Enterprise’.
Kiz Angell. Project Manager.