Missing Piece and Wellbeing + Support- Building Community Mental Health Service
Missing Piece and Wellbeing + Support started as a grassroots group in Keighley, founded by individuals with lived experience of mental health struggles.
The organisation’s roots are deeply personal, where one of the co-founders waited 18 months for EMDR therapy, revealing a “missing piece” in local mental health support. Missing Piece and Wellbeing + Support, being a Community Interest Company (CIC), is now the only provider in its area offering “intentional peer support” and WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) training, with certified trainers.
Missing Piece turned to LABD in 2022 for assistance with organisational restructuring and strategic business planning, culminating in targeted funding that enabled hiring a business advisor. With the support of LABD, the organisation moved to a future-focused planning by developing costing models, succession planning, and growing traded income from training and support services. There are 10 volunteers who have been providing the peer support and WRAP programme.
“LABD’s support helped us build our foundation. Advice from our Business Advisor and Wendy’s guidance meant we could step out from constant crisis mode to create an impactful future. With their help, we are not just supporting individuals but also empowering the entire community and setting a standard for intentional, peer-led mental health care.”
The overwhelming demand and persistent waitlists for statutory mental health services, the organisation set its ambition to become a “centre of excellence” by 2026 and train others its specialist model. The organisation is planning a mixed funding model for sustainability.