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Swanage Depression Support

Depression is one of the most
prevalent mental health disorders,
affecting around 1 in 6 adults in the UK.
It is also associated with other mental health issues,
such as anxiety, stress and loneliness.
This has become worse since the pandemic.

Swanage Depression Support was formed about 12 years ago by
a group of Christians who had experienced depression. It was a
peer support group which has been meeting fortnightly. It was an
informal group, not officially constituted, financed by private
donations. It was very successful, with up to 15 people attending.
In recent years, in response to requests from some members who
were coming from Wareham, a second meeting opened in
Wareham on the intervening weeks. Sadly, one of the key leaders
has had to withdraw owing to poor health, leaving just one, who
rightly felt it would be wrong to facilitate the group alone. So the
group has been suspended, although members do meet socially in
a coffee shop from time to time.

We are looking for a way to re-form the group on a more stable
basis, with proper constitution, supervisory group, bank account
and financial security. For this, we require the backing of the
wider community, especially mental health professionals, and a
pool of facilitators will be needed.

We would like to convene a meeting of interested people to advise
us in the re-forming of the group. This could form the basis of an
on-going Supervisory Group, though attendance at this initial
meeting does not imply any commitment to longer involvement.

We should like to hear from people willing to help us, either as
members of the Supervisory Group or as facilitators. Some
experience of depression/anxiety, either as a sufferer or family of a
sufferer would be helpful. Sympathy with the Christian roots of the
group is essential. We emphasise that we are open to people of
all faiths or none, that we are not out to convert people and faith

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