A mental health charity that helps trauma victims reintegrate into the community has moved into its new Douglas premises.

Quing has taken over the former St Thomas’s School in Finch Road.

The charity, established by Graham Clucas in 2018, officially cut the ribbon at a ceremony attended by various members, chairman Ralph Peake MHK and Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer.

Mr Clucas told the Examiner the building will be used for Quing’s accredited peer mentor training and therapeutic community and as a community space.

He hopes to work with residents in the coming months to establish the community space aspect of the plans.

Mr Clucas said: ’Up at our old venue, All Saints Church, we had only one room. This limited what we could do.

’When the chance came to take on the old school we saw a huge opportunity to offer more asset and strength based training and support.

’It will be great to use as a base to reach out into the community and have conversations with local residents and create something unique.

’We are just recruiting our first community animator who will be out talking to people towards the end of the month. The other thing is it gives the peer mentors a place to be based, do training, hold groups and hold a safe social space.’

Demand for the charity has grown with more than 50 people now regularly attending meetings and sessions.

Rather than seeking to manage or treat symptoms such as mental health problems and addiction, Quing seeks to help people overcome these problems by recognising strengths.

It believes helping people build upon them can achieve more than just treating weaknesses.

Therapy

Quing chairman Mr Peake, a keen supporter of community-based therapy has previously welcomed Tynwald embracing the community-based mental health treatment as the island strives to improve mental health services.

When the Examiner recently spoke to members of the charity, they told us how the support network had helped them deal with a variety of issues from grief to addiction and PTSD.

To contact Quing about events or its work email [email protected] or visit https://quing.im/.