Bedfordshire’s mental health and well-being charity, CHUMS, has been handed £6,400 from a national £2million ‘Agency Giving Fund’ launched by NFU Mutual.
The fund was set up by NFU Mutual in light of the “national emergency our country is continuing to face” and CHUMS was nominated by local agents for the insurance company.
CHUMS provides therapeutic intervention for children and young people whose mental health has been affected by traumatic events.
This may include sexual abuse, traumatic bereavement, fleeing from war, domestic abuse, road traffic accidents, medical trauma, or other single event traumas such as assault and house fires.
“All five of our charitable services have been affected by the pandemic with vulnerable service users becoming more isolated and worried about the ongoing effect on their mental health,” said Sue Clarke, head of fundraising at CHUMS charity.
This donation will give CHUMS the chance to provide specialist support to local children and young people who have suffered trauma in their young lives.
“This extra funding will be used straight away to support five young people on our waiting list,” added Sue.
“Thank you so much to the team at NFU Mutual Bedford for your support at this really challenging time – you are helping us to make a huge difference to young people’s lives,” she said.
Graham Lilley, senior partner at NFU Mutual Bedford, added: “COVID-19 continues to have a huge impact on everybody, including our staff, our customers, their families and their communities.
“As a charity local to us, CHUMS has been providing mental health and emotional wellbeing support to young people and their families in the Bedfordshire area.
“We are very pleased to be able to help this charity during a period where their resources have been particularly stretched due to the considerable challenges Covid-19 has placed upon young people and their families in our community.”
