A small mental health charity that has been inundated by NHS patients says it is facing the threat of closure due to a lack of funding.

Changes Tamworth, based in Staffordshire, supports adults who have experienced suicidal thoughts.

The service said multiple patients had been recommended by GPs to contact the charity instead of NHS providers.

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) said it had not referred or signposted patients to the charity.

"MPFT has established a number of innovative partnerships with voluntary and community sector enterprise organisations across the south of Staffordshire; with a total of £4.6m having been allocated in the past two years," it added.

'Always at risk'

Changes Tamworth, set up in 2011, has helped more than 400 people in the town but does not receive state funding, requiring £52,000 a year to operate.

The charity has seen demand for its services rise during the cost of living crisis, with increased bills and inflationary pressures causing difficulties due to its limited funding.

Yvonne Smith, from the charity, said it had received several letters from medical professionals thanking them for supporting patients.

"We get referrals from GPs, we take everybody, but we're not statutory funded. We're just a little independent charity and we'll never turn anybody away," she said.

"We're always at risk that we're going to have to close; every day and every week is a challenge."

She said there was a "pandemic of mental health" but there were difficulties with funding applications.

Former police sergeant Julie Graham said she had been receiving support at the charity for the past four years.

"I came here with my baseball cap on and I had it pulled up over my face and I just cried and told them how I felt.

"From that day to this, they've given me the tools to sort of cope," she said.

Another service user, mother-of-three Sarah Holmes, said the charity had helped her after she had had a nervous breakdown two years ago.

A spokesperson for Changes Tamworth said: "To date, we have had 128 members that the doctor has stated to go to Changes Tamworth."

It said it had also received 28 mental health team recommendations and 10 from social services.

A spokesperson for the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board said there was "considerable investment" taking place in mental health provision in the Tamworth area.

"Changes Tamworth has been advised about how to secure funding and we would encourage them to continue to seek to do so," the statement added.

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