Our Story

How it started

We have been championing mental health wellbeing, challenging stigma, and offering free person-centred compassionate support for over 50 years. Shropshire Mental Health Support was first established in 1974 as Shropshire Mind. We operated in partnership with national Mind services and, following increased service demand, became an independent charity in April 2021.

Becoming an independent charity enabled us to develop with greater autonomy, allowing our services to evolve so we could provide a range of specialist support options and, most importantly, become more accessible to residents across our rural county. Prior to COVID, our services were delivered by a small and dedicated team of staff and volunteers. We were open seven days a week, offering a daytime drop-in service, a variety of weekly support groups, and informal telephone support for those who reached out.

As the needs of the community grew, so did our specialist services. Shropshire Sanctuary first opened in July 2017, providing vital out-of-hours crisis support for people experiencing mental health struggles. In early 2020, both our Outreach Support service and the Shrewsbury Calmer Café were launched, helping us expand our reach and provide more accessible support within local communities.

How it’s going

Today, Shropshire Mental Health Support (often referred to as ‘Shropshire MHS – formerly Mind’) is a hive of activity, with 95 staff and volunteers dedicated to empowering individuals facing mental health challenges – ensuring they feel heard, supported, and understood.

Our services now include a 24-hour support line, volunteer-led peer support groups, welcoming Calmer Cafés operating across eight locations in Shropshire, and a wellbeing vehicle that helps ensure support and services remain accessible throughout the county. In 2025, we launched SASH, a supported housing service offering safe, stable homes for those struggling with mental health challenges.

Our specialist services include Outreach, Shropshire Sanctuary – a crisis support service helping to alleviate pressures on emergency services – and Bereavement Support for those experiencing sudden or unexpected loss.

All services are free, with the exception of the Shropshire Wellbeing and Resilience Service (SWaRS), our trauma service offering trauma-informed listening support for businesses and individuals who have experienced trauma or ongoing stressful events. This support can help colleagues in the workplace, as well as individuals seeking support to process trauma and identify pathways to further help.

At its heart, Shropshire Mental Health Support is built on kindness, inclusivity, and collaboration. We offer a wide range of volunteering opportunities and welcome partnership working with agencies and local businesses, while enthusiastically supporting fundraising and awareness events across the community.