Trustees announce closure of Foundation supporting Ribble Valley residents’ mental health

After more than a decade of dedicated service to the community, the trustees of the Foundation for Ribble Valley Families have announced that the charity will cease operations once the current cohort of service users complete their programmes. 

This difficult choice follows a sustained decline in referrals in the context of a changing landscape of mental health provision. 

Since it was established in 2015, the Foundation has provided free therapeutic coaching and support to local residents struggling with mild to moderate mental health challenges. 

In its early years, the charity supported hundreds of new mums through the challenging first weeks of parenting and filled the gaps left by the withdrawal of Sure Start funding. The charity also ran workshops aimed at parents – giving advice and education around issues such as building resilience, tackling anxiety and understanding neurodiversity.

The trustees are deeply grateful to everyone who has supported the charity’s work over the years, including clients, associates, volunteers, the National Lottery Community Fund and the hundreds of Ribble Valley residents who have donated funds to support the Foundation.  

We want to reassure all current clients that their programmes will continue exactly as planned. Our associates will deliver sessions over the next 8–10 weeks, ensuring there is no disruption to support. During this period, the charity will not be accepting new clients or referrals, focusing instead on completing all existing commitments safely and responsibly. All safeguarding, reporting, and confidentiality requirements will remain in place. 

The Foundation will also continue to provide supportive signposting services to anyone referring themselves to the charity for support over the next few weeks. It is envisaged that the charity’s operations will cease in April this year.

Ribble Valley residents with concerns about their mental health can access talking therapies via their GP or contact charities such as Samaritans, Lancashire Mind, or for children and young People aged 5-18, Lancashire and South Cumbria Thrive Service.

A spokesperson for the Foundation’s board of trustees said:

“This has not been an easy decision and it has not been taken lightly. We are immensely proud of the positive impact the Foundation has had on the lives of local residents over the years. 

“When the Foundation was established more than a decade ago, access to mental health support was a challenge for Ribble Valley residents due to a lack of locally based provision. The founders identified this gap in the local healthcare system and set up the charity to offer practical help, delivered rapidly and locally.

“In recent years, as the stigma around seeking support with mental health has diminished, the wider landscape has changed, with the National Health Service significantly scaling up its mental health provision. We welcome the recognition that everyone should have access to mental help support, but the increase in NHS provision has seen a decline in demand and referrals into our service.

“Our priority now is to ensure that all current clients continue to receive the support they need as we complete our commitments. We would like to thank everyone—clients, associates, volunteers, and supporters — for their dedication and trust. The legacy of care and compassion will remain at the heart of our community.”