Great Western Railway (GWR) and Cornwall Community Foundation are offering grants to groups who support children with mental health issues.

The mental health fund is open to community groups, charities and social enterprises based in Cornwall. The purpose of the fund is to support children and young people, aged between 5-25 years, in order to tackle loneliness, isolation, anxiety and depression.

Department of Health and NHS England statistics show that 11.5 per cent of young people aged eleven to 16 have a mental health disorder.

Also that over half of all mental issues start before the age of 14, and 75 per cent develop by the age of 18.

Self-harming figures for young people have doubled in the past ten years, which NHS England believes is linked to social pressures and body-image fears, as well as children being subjected to sexual, physical and emotional abuse.

GWR Business Assurance Director Joe Graham said, “GWR is delighted to be able to help provide vital support to children and young people who are coping with mental health challenges. We want to make a difference in the communities that we serve and we do this by supporting a range of good causes in Cornwall.”

The Cornwall Community Foundation’s Mental Health Fund invested more than £7,700 in six community projects in December 2017. The supported projects included BF Adventure, Godolphin Cross Community Association, Quiet Connections CIC, Safe Haven - Cornwall, Shifting Horizons CIC and Wheal Martyn Trust.

Godolphin Cross Community Association was awarded £2,800 to provide additional community based support to year six pupils leading up to and beyond their transition to secondary school.

Their weekly group will provide peer support and will also meet during summer holidays. Participants will receive one to one support from youth work staff for any issue they might identify during the 12-16 months of the programme; this may be about confidence, anxiety or needing to develop new skills. Young people will have the opportunities to volunteer in their community and participate in outdoor and camping activities.

An application for a grant must be made by an organisation for the benefit of any, young person resident in Cornwall or the Isles of Scilly or in support of a project.

To apply for funding go to www.cornwallcommunityfoundation.com.