Charity launched after suicide of young mum can continue thanks to National Lottery funding

The mother of a young woman who took her own life has expressed her relief after receiving National Lottery funding to continue a charity set up in her name.

The Jade L Roberts Project in Merseyside has received £20,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, to keep its doors open and provide vital counselling and support to young people experiencing mental health crises.

It is one of over 700 community organisations in England to receive a share of over £75 million supporting young people’s mental health and wellbeing in the year to 31 March 2024.

Tracey Roberts set up the charity after her 26-year-old daughter, Jade, sadly took her own life in 2021.

As well as being a loving daughter, Jade was also mum to her two young boys, who are now 4 and 5, and was known by her family and friends as an outwardly fun loving, loyal and supportive person.

However, her mum now believes that this was Jade’s way of hiding what she was really feeling. She said: “Jade was beautiful, inside and out. She constantly worried about other people and their problems. We truly believe that this was her way of hiding how she was really feeling. She was an amazing mum to her two little boys, [she] was caring, considerate and had the most beautiful smile.”

With increased running costs, Tracey had been concerned about the future of the charity and its ability to provide counselling and wellbeing support to some of Liverpool’s most vulnerable people.

With the help of the new funding, the charity will now be able to continue this vital work and support its team of 14 counsellors and two full time Suicide Prevention Officers.

The team use techniques such as cognitive behavioural therapy, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing, hypnotherapy, relaxation therapies, and even a mental health poetry group.

The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show a steady year on year rise in registered suicides in England and Wales, with 5,642 registered in 2022, 5,583 in 2021 and 5,224 in 2020.

Tracey said: “I strongly believe that the suicide rates have increased due to a lack of support for those who need it. We now live in a very uncertain world, with stresses, strains and anxieties that simply didn’t exist for a lot of people previously. This has led to a demand that a lot of current services just aren’t able to keep up with.

“We provide a safe space for people and families affected by suicide and suicidal thoughts to discuss their issues without judgement. We don’t have a waiting list, which enables people to get the support they need as soon as possible. We truly believe that suicide is preventable with the right kind of support.”

One young person who has received suicide prevention support at the centre said: “Without the centre getting me the help I needed, I don’t think I would be here right now, as I was lost in my own head and feelings. Speaking with a counsellor made me look at things in a different way and helped me to believe in myself again.

“It may not seem like much, but having my nails done and listening to some self-care advice helped me a lot. I just really want to thank everyone there for their help. My journey has only just begun, and I can already see a positive way of living.”

Tracey said: “The funding has enabled us to carry on offering lifesaving interventions in keeping people safe from suicide. I would like to thank The National Lottery Community Fund and National Lottery players for the funding, as our doors would have been closed.”

The Jade L Roberts Project isn’t alone in benefitting from National Lottery funding in Merseyside. Today it was announced that over £6 million has been distributed to over 130 community organisations across Merseyside in the past four months*.

Gillian Halliwell, Head of Regional Funding for the North West at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We’re proud to support amazing organisations like The Jade L Roberts Project, allowing them to continue providing vital support to vulnerable people within our communities.

“Our latest Corporate Plan sets out our commitment to invest more than 90% of our grants to support at least one our four community-led missions, including supporting children and young people to thrive.

“Over the next three years, we will dedicate more than 50% of our grants to communities experiencing the greatest poverty and disadvantage.”

National Lottery players raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK. Thanks to them, last year The National Lottery Community Fund was able to distribute over half a billion pounds (£615.4 million) of life-changing funding to communities.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk

When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.

Date published: 22 July, 2024
Region: England (North West)

Notes to Editors

* These figures are for funding awarded from 25^th February – 28^th June 2024.

About The National Lottery Community Fund 

We are the largest non-statutory community funder in the UK – community is at the heart of our purpose, vision and name.

We support activities that create resilient communities that are more inclusive and environmentally sustainable and that will strengthen society and improve lives across the UK.

We’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to work closely with Government to distribute vital grants and funding from key Government programmes and initiatives.

As well as responding to what communities tell us is important to them, our funding is focused on four key missions, supporting communities to:

1. Come together

2. Be environmentally sustainable

3. Help children and young people thrive

4. Enable people to live healthier lives.

Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, we distribute around £500 million a year through 10,000+ grants and plan to invest over £4bn of funding into communities by 2030. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.

National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since The National Lottery began in 1994, £47 billion has been raised and more than 670,000 individual grants have been made across the UK - the equivalent of around 240 National Lottery grants in every UK postcode district.

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