Northern Rock continues to support charities
Press Release: MHNE Northern Rock Foundation
North East charities have welcomed the news that Northern Rock’s new owner Virgin Money, owned by 
Sir Richard Branson, will continue to provide vital funding to support key health services.
It was announced yesterday that Virgin Money has bought Northern Rock - the banking and mortgage lending arm of the old Northern Rock bank. It was also announced that the current arrangement between the bank and the Foundation will be extended until the end of 2013.
Mental Health North East (MHNE) Chief Executive Lyn Boyd said: “The Northern Rock Foundation is hugely important to the work of many charities which support people with mental health issues.
“Without their continued support it is very likely that many projects which are having a positive impact on the lives of people across the region, will not be able to carry on.
“We welcome the news that the new owners of Northern Rock Plc will continue to support the Northern Rock Foundation and in turn provide a lifeline to hundreds of charities here in the north east.”
In total, 59 member organisations of MHNE have received funding from the Northern Rock Foundation.
Northern Rock Foundation funding has enabled these, and other, organisations to provide a wide range of services for people across the North East.
They include a helpline and counselling for rape victims, support for people affected by eating disorders, support for young people under 25 and advocacy services for people with mental health problems.
NRF funding has enabled organisations to obtain matched funding from other key funders and it has allowed smaller pilot projects, which would not have otherwise got off the ground, to be launched.
Projects which began on a small scale thanks to NRF funding have developed and grown and services in danger of closing have been rescued.
Annemarie Norman, project manager for NIWE Eating Distress Service, said: “Thanks to NRF funding we have been able to set up a regional support group to help people with eating disorders and their families, who also face anxieties and difficulties in knowing how to support their loved ones.
“This kind of service is unusual and we are the main organisation outside of the NHS to provide this in the North East.
“Without the NRF funding we receive we would almost certainly struggle to continue – and that would have a devastating effect on the people who rely on this service.”
Michael McGuinness, of STAMP Revisited, Voices for Change in Mental Health Services, added: “We provide an advocacy service for people with mental health problems and we currently receive around 43 new referrals each month.
“Without the support we can give to these people it is possible that they may face being admitted to hospital under one of the sections of the Mental Health Act.
“We are a small organisation with just five full-time members of staff and several volunteers. Without NRF funding we would have to rely purely on volunteers and this would mean we would not be able to reach as many people as we do.”
