VIVID Housing Association is giving its backing to a significant new wellbeing service being created by leading mental health charity Solent Mind with a £5,000 donation through the Hampshire and Isle of Wight community Fund to mark National Mental Health Awareness Day on Thursday 10 October.

The funding will go towards start-up costs for Positive Minds, a new, welcoming safe space providing emotional and practical mental health support situated in Portsmouth city centre.

Kevin Gardner, CEO of Solent Mind said: “This grant allows us to meet our set up costs and provide a better experience for our service users. Positive Minds will see our advisors working alongside Solent NHS mental health services and VIVID’S funding will also allow us to buy additional equipment and furniture.”

VIVID Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Cowie said: “Caring about wellbeing is an important element of our tenancy support for our customers. Our own Wellbeing Workers in the south have a growing waiting list, so providing support through Positive Minds means some of our customers can get support from Solent Mind before we can help them.”

VIVID has more than 10,000 homes in Portsmouth and Southampton cities and the rest of Hampshire’s south coast which can benefit from Solent Mind’s support.