A new community group is helping the NHS by offering opportunities to those stuck on a long waiting list for mental health services.
Rise Sheffield, which is based near Ranmoor, focuses on helping people who have experienced mental health issues by offering a safe and supportive place to come together.
They describe themselves as a ‘unique’ mental health group, with the members who provide the service having first hand experience with some of the same struggles as the attendees.
Group coordinator, Maddie Barker said: “Rise is completely run by people who have been through (mental health issues) themselves.”
The group offers weekly sessions to help reduce self harm and promote mental health recovery.
Maddie met Rise Sheffield’s group assistant in a psychiatric hospital.
She said: “talking to someone who hasn’t had first hand experience you can feel misunderstood.”
The group signposts people to services which may help them in their recovery.
Eating disorder awareness week is taking place at the end of the month in the UK, which the group will be discussing in their upcoming meetings.
Eating disorders are a branch of the big tree of mental health and some believe they are slightly overlooked.
According to the NHS a record number of young people were being treated for eating disorders in 2022.
Maddie spoke on eating disorders saying: “I think [they] can be very misunderstood. We set up our group to help improve understanding around mental health- and this includes helping parents understand.”
An eating disorder can be any of a range of mental conditions in which there is a persistent disturbance of eating behaviour and impairment of physical or mental health.
Rise Sheffield said: “We will be supporting eating disorder awareness week next week. Currently, we help to sign post instances like that to existing eating disorder groups in Sheffield.”
The group meets weekly on a Monday evening between 6.00pm to 7.00pm based on Ranmoor Park Road.
Rise Sheffield is on twitter for more information.