Britain’s Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, on Saturday unveiled plans to partner with a local charity to create a new mental health program to support the people of the royal Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, East -England.
The couple’s office at Kensington Palace said the partnership with Norfolk and Waveney Mind will increase mental health services for the rural and farming communities of north-west Norfolk.
Prince William and Kate, both 42, are co-funding the new pilot project as additional mental health support to combat rural isolation and poor mental health.
“We are all too aware of the specific mental health challenges faced by people in rural areas, especially those in the farming community,” said Sonja Chilvers, interim CEO of Norfolk and Waveney Mind.
“We are delighted to be working with the Prince and Princess of Wales, who know our communities in North West Norfolk well, and we are keen to see the difference this pilot will make to the mental health of local people,” she said.
“Our innovative new partnership will drive proactive outreach and preventative measures across the community and represent a crucial step in better protecting the wellbeing of local people. If successful, it could be used as an example and replicated in other estates and communities around the world. Britain,” she said.
The partnership comes as the charity launches its Talking Therapies service, a free counseling service for people suffering from anxiety and depression. The new pilot will have the potential to reach the 1,500 residents of North West Norfolk, almost half of whom live on the royal estate of Sandringham. It will officially start in 2025 and will run for two years. It offers two part-time positions, including a rural mental health coordinator and a counselor.
“The pilot program will also include the rollout of mental health training for local employers so that community members can be better supported in looking after their mental health before they enter a crisis. It is also hoped that the project can become a blueprint for sustainable funding for rural mental health care, which if successful could be rolled out to other rural areas across the UK,” Kensington Palace said.
As well as boosting local provision of direct, face-to-face counseling and drop-in sessions, the program will run targeted sessions for different members of the community, including parent and toddler groups, menopause and men’s groups. The aim will be to provide support in a “safe, non-judgemental environment, and build supportive relationships between participants”.
It is hoped the pilot can provide a blueprint for sustainable rural mental health financing, which can then be rolled out to other estates across the country.
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