Nearly 10% of our work last year was made possible by gifts in Wills. Your kindness has given hope, support, and comfort to so many. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Your impact in numbers
Our mental health information was accessed 25.3 million times
Local Minds supported 554,630 people
Almost 10% of our work last year was made possible by gifts in Wills
We responded to 122,000 queries to our support and information helplines
17,285 people signed up to Side by Side, our online peer support community
Your donations in action
Here are just a few of the incredible ways your donations are making a difference:
So, in 2023, we launched a new support line - a place where people can talk about their mental health in a safe and understanding environment.
- 2000+ calls answered each month
- Conversations last 5 minutes longer than those on the Infoline, providing deeper support
- People tell us that a mix of listening and signposting is making a huge difference
"I felt at the lowest point of my life. I can now see my way again."
- Support line caller
A new kind of self-help
In 2023/24, local Minds helped 6,500 people with supported self-help – a free 6-week programme designed to tackle depression, anxiety, panic attacks, stress, and grief before things get worse.
- Designed by local Minds and GPs
- Available at 48 local Minds
- New technology introduced last year reduced waiting times to just 12 days
People can now choose to sign up with a practitioner at their local Mind or find someone available sooner elsewhere.
“Mind was really there for me. If I hadn’t managed to get to the support line, anything could have happened.”
- Anonymous
New hope for better hospitals
35,000 people joined our Raise the Standard campaign, calling on the government to reform mental health hospitals. One of them was Lol, a retired mental health nurse of 40 years:
“The Raise the Standard campaign means everything to me. As a now retired mental health nurse of 40 years, I have seen the inequalities that exist in mental health care. I’ve seen the lack of funding and the unsuitable environments. I also have lived experience of depression so can speak as the nurse and the patient on this matter.
The campaign is important because it is raising concerns at the heart of government. My hope is that it will achieve increased awareness and understanding of the different areas that need addressing.
We need more empathy, and we need to acknowledge how discriminatory language can further perpetuate stigma, beliefs and harmful attitudes. By giving to Mind, you’re side by side with every person who campaigns for change with us.”
Some special thank yous
Our CEO Sarah Hughes and chairman of the board Stevie Spring would like to say a huge thank you to our supporters.
A thank you from Sarah Hughes, CEO at Mind
Thank you so much for including a gift to Mind in your Will. It’s such a generous and powerful way to bring about a better future for mental health.
Right now, we’re facing unprecedented challenges. 1 in 4 adults in England and Wales experience a mental health problem each year. Far too many of us are waiting months to get support. Far too many of us are getting more unwell as we wait.
At the same time, the number of children and young people who are struggling is soaring. Inequality and social injustice are taking a big toll on mental health. And the rising cost of living is only making things worse. It’s all adding up to an emergency for mental health.
But here’s the most important thing of all. A new era for mental health is possible. In fact, it’s already starting. You’re at the heart of the Mind community. And together we’re doing everything possible to create a mentally healthy future. We’re seeking to transform policies, healthcare and support in communities – now and forever.
We’re also now in a better place than ever to make the most of being a federation. Mind is a social movement, made up of the national charity, over 100 local Minds and over 170 shops. We have a unique insight into what people are really facing in their communities. We can demonstrate the best ways to support people at every stage of their mental health journey.
Thank you so much again for being with Mind. Together, we really will create the new era for mental health we all want to see.
A thank you from Stevie Spring, chairman at Mind
Whenever I spend time at a local Mind, or at a Mind shop, or see Mind’s support in action, I’m struck by the same thought. Mind brings people together in communities, because people know they will find comfort with us.
It shouldn’t be up to Mind to play that role.
Our society should offer support and compassion whenever any of us are struggling. Mental health should be taken just as seriously as physical health. That’s the new era Mind is determined to bring about.
But until we reach that point, Mind is here to support people however we can. More and more people come to us every year. And we’re able to respond because people like you are with us. We really can’t thank you enough.
As you’ll see, throughout 2023/24 we kept fighting for a better future for mental health. We supercharged the support we offer. We demanded government action. We worked more closely as the Mind federation. And we were guided in all our work by the people we exist to support.
When we act together, lives change.
There’s no doubt we still have a long way to go. But with you by our side, we’ll be ready – whatever the future brings.
How we raised our funds
In 2023/24, 9% of Mind's work was funded by the £3.9m raised from gifts in Wills and donations in memory of loved ones.
You can find out more about our vital work and how we use your donations to fund it in our annual report.