Awareness of mental health issues and how to deal with them will increase in the south thanks to donations from the Southern Authorities Healthcare Trust.

The trust has donated £4,000 to charity Quing and £2,000 to the Department of Health and Social Care to fund southern residents to attend courses tackling mental health problems.

’For almost 35 years the trust has supported community health improvement projects such as physiotherapy equipment, aids and adaptations for Southlands and Cushag House,’ said trust chairman Juan Watterson.

’However we have realised that despite the powers to improve mental health in our constituency, this has never been a focus.

’This year we hope to change that through donations to support accredited support through Quing as well as general awareness raising by putting on a free, accredited two day "mental health first aid" course, akin to physical first aid to identify and learn how to deal with mental health issues. This mix of targeted support and wider awareness raising will, we hope, support raising the standard and awareness of mental health in the southern community.’

Developing awareness of yourself and how trauma has had an impact is transformative, said Quing founder Graham Clucas.

The former addict with a criminal record turned his life around in 2005 through therapy. He gained an MA in 2011 in counselling and became a registered psychotherapist after which he founded Quing in November 2017.

The trust will fund four people through a series of accredited workshops and lectures run by Quing.

Those taking part can come from any background, personally suffer from or be dealing with mental health problems.

The DHSC two-day courses are for up to 16 people will be held in Port Erin and possibly Castletown; more details will be released shortly.

Mr Watterson said this is an innovative cross community approach that will benefit society as a whole.

’It’s about early intervention and long term support.

’People suffering from mental health problems are often reduced to "being crackers" or some other pejorative term. We need to overcome that.’

â?¢ To contact Quing email [email protected]