A VITAL lifeline for people struggling with mental health issues in the Amman and Gwendraeth Valleys could come to an end when the health board removes funding.

Shadows depression support group, which is based in Garnant, currently helps 1,600 patients and this increases day by day.

The service has been funded by the Amman and Gwendraeth GP cluster for the past three years, but after September 5, they will no longer receive funding from the cluster due to a lack of funding from Hywel Dda University Health Board.

“We’ve taken a lot of pressure off the GP cluster,” said Louise Craik who founded Shadows around six and a half years ago.

"The funding was for mental health projects on a three-year term and Shadows has provided the health board with information about the number of people they have helped and more details but have not been given further funding.

“The GP cluster said ‘we don’t need convincing because we know but there’s no money there.”

“The GP cluster are on our side,” said Jennifer Mackey, who is a facilitator at the group. “But their hands are tied.”

Over the last six and a half years, Shadows has grown in size and is currently supporting more than 1,000 people and more are turning to them all the time.

“Last week, we had four walk-ins who had tried to end their lives,” said Ms Craik.

The impact of the service on the community has been vital, with support being given within days to people needing help rather than months and even years for those waiting to go through a GP.

One member of the group, Mark, joined following the sudden death of his wife and was surprised with how quickly he was getting support.

“Within a day of making contact, I had a phone call with Jennifer,” he told the South Wales Guardian.

“Then within a week, I was having a one-to-one with Louise, before being integrated into the groups. I was on a six-week waiting list for bereavement counselling, but was able to get support here so much quicker.

“I’m still here because of Shadows.”

Mark is now training to be a facilitator with Shadows and has been able to witness how the service’s quick support has been helping young and old.

“One man in his 70s came in and he was a miner and had been told to keep quiet and he came in and had a one-to-one and you could just see him relax.”

“He told me everything,” said Ms Mackey. “He told me things he hadn’t told his social prescriber and so I was able to go back to the social prescriber and let them know what he needed.”

Shadows aims to provide quick support by addressing the causes of mental health struggles.

Ms Craik told the Guardian how, while medication can be a vital tool, it is not the sole solution and for people to truly improve, the root cause needs to be addressed and treated, and they can signpost to various places including housing support to ensure that those needs are addressed.

But with the funding decreasing in September, they are starting to worry about what would happen to those they support.

“What will happen to them? That’s my worry,” said Ms Craik. “We are not miracle workers but we are a life line for them as they know that we are here to provide help.”

Shadows has been boosted by funding from members of the public who have been carrying out challenges to raise some funds, as well as some local businesses including Pontardawe Golf Club, who recently provided funding which was used to hire a counsellor to speak with some children who were using the service – to ensure they got help while waiting for up to two years on a list for counselling from the NHS.

Following the news of the funding cut, the community has come out in support of Shadows. Cllr Kevin Madge said: “I know times are hard and funding is hard but this is something we need to support. I have raised this with MS Joyce Watson who will be visiting the site on June 9.”

For more information about Shadows, visit http://www.shadowsdepressionsupportgroup.co.uk/