Leading mental health charity AWARE NI is celebrating a recent move to a more spacious office at 2 Crawford Square in Derry/Londonderry. The relocation marks a pivotal moment for the organisation as it embraces larger premises and increased capacity, poised to amplify its impact on the local community.

The new location provides the charity’s Derry team with significantly more space than its previous premises on Queen Street. AWARE NI will also use the new office to host mental health support groups and training programmes.

Steve McCrudden, Head of Education and Training at AWARE NI, shares the excitement surrounding the move. “Our relocation to 2 Crawford Square is a cause for celebration. The increased space enables us to extend our reach through support groups and important mental health training programmes for the community.”

AWARE NI offers support and education for people with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. Established in 1996, the charity has a large network of peer-led support groups run by a team of trained volunteers. Support groups welcome people experiencing mental ill-health and offer them a safe space to open up and be around others who understand them. The team also delivers mental health and wellbeing programmes to communities, schools, universities, and workplaces, teaching attendees techniques to look after their own mental health and wellbeing.

Two weekly support groups will be hosted in AWARE’s new Crawford Square premises. One meets on Tuesday evenings at 7.30pm and the other on Thursday mornings at 11am.

Steve says the charity is welcoming new members to both groups. “Anyone over 18 who is experiencing low mood, depression, anxiety or bipolar can come along and connect with others in a non-judgmental space where they can talk openly, find comfort in shared experiences, and learn helpful coping techniques. We would encourage anybody in our local community who feels they could use some support to come along to either or both of our Derry groups – you are not alone, and things can get better.”

The team also invites local business members to visit the new premises and say hello. “We have a fantastic range of workplace mental health training options to help local business leaders improve their staff’s wellbeing,” said Steve, “We work very closely with local businesses to suit their needs, and we would welcome business leaders in the community to get in touch and have a chat about how we can work together to create a happier and healthier workforce here in Derry/Londonderry.”

For more information on AWARE NI’s range of services, visit www.aware-ni.org