Help – mental health

There are two sections on this page: ‘Mental health crisis’ and ‘General mental health advice and support’. If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please refer to the first section and seek urgent assistance. For longer-term issues and support, please refer to the second section for signposting to organisations offering advice, support and well-being services.

Mental health crisis

If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, please don’t suffer in silence, seek help. You can contact your GP, or in an emergency/out of hours, go to A&E. The nearest hospital is Manchester Royal Infirmary Emergency Department.

However, if you’re feeling in despair, or if you’d simply like to talk to someone about your problems, there is other support available:

The Sanctuary is a local ‘overnight, every night’ service (based at the Kath Locke Centre in Hulme), providing a place of safety and support to adults (people aged 18+) feeling at crisis point and living with difficulties such as panic attacks, depression and low mood. 8pm-6am. Telephone: 0300 003 7029

Samaritans 24-hour confidential emotional support. Telephone: 08457 90 90 90 | If you’d rather see someone, the Samaritans’ Manchester & Salford branch offers a drop-in service, 8.30am-8.30pm, seven days a week, you can pop into 72-74 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 5NH. You can also call the Manchester branch on: 0161 236 8000 (local call charges apply) or 116 123 (this number is free to call). | If you prefer you can email jo@samaritans.org

Crisis Point (based in Collyhurst) is an open-access mental health crisis centre offering tailored crisis management support, which might involve accommodation for up to 10 nights or one-to-one sessions for people unable or unwilling to use the accommodation service, giving them the time and confidence they need to plan their own future. You can self-refer to this service, so you don’t need to be referred by a doctor, nurse or social worker, you can contact them directly to ask for help. Telephone: 0161 225 9500

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) offers a telephone helpline for men in the UK who are down or have hit a wall for any reason, who need to talk or find information and support. They are open 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Telephone: 0800 58 58 58. Or they also have a webchat service, which is available between 5pm-midnight, daily: Webchat link here.

Manchester Mind doesn’t offer any crisis support, but their website signposts to other organisations and support available in a crisis.

Again, if you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, please don’t suffer in silence, contact the agencies or organisations above, and please tell someone, whether it’s a family member, friend or neighbour, please let people know you need help. It might be hard to ask for help, but people can’t help you if they don’t know how much you’re struggling and in need of help.

General mental health advice and support

Manchester Mind, which is based at Zion community centre, 339 Stretford Road, Hulme, Manchester, M15 4ZY, offers a number of different services:

  • Advice team – Manchester Mind’s advice workers offer help with problems relating welfare benefits, housing and debt to people with mental health needs living in Manchester. The advice team offers weekly drop-in sessions, on Mondays, 1pm-4pm and Thursdays, 10am-1pm at Zion Community Centre, 339 Stretford Road, Hulme, M15 4ZY.  Or you can call 0161 769 5732 to make an appointment or email advice@manchestermind.org.
  • YASP – Unfortunately, Manchester Mind’s young person’s service for 15-25-year-olds isn’t currently accepting referrals due to a backlog, but the YASP section of their website signposts other support and advice available.
  • Bite allotment growing sessions – Manchester Mind runs a number of wellbeing initiatives, and Bite offers opportunities for people who have experienced or are experiencing mental health problems get out in the open air, meet people, learn skills and get involved in planning, planting, growing, weeding and harvesting at the two sites in south and east Manchester.
  • Manchester Mind Cafe – The cafe, in the Zion community centre on Stretford Road in Hulme, offers supported training placements to people who are experiencing, or have had, mental health problems. It is a great place for people to learn new skills, get support, meet people and be part of a team. The cafe is open to all, Monday to Friday, 9.30am-3pm, and is handy if you fancy something freshly cooked for lunch, or coffee and cake.
  • Mindfulness for Stress – Manchester Mind occasionally offers its courses for people to learn mindfulness and meditation techniques to boost their mental and emotional health. Check the website for details of when the next course is going to run.

African and Caribbean Mental Health Services (ACMHS) provides support to African and African Caribbean people aged 16 and over who are registered with a Manchester GP. ACMHS works with people who have common mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, relationship problems and low self-esteem by offering advice, CBT and person-centred counselling, advocacy, health and well-being groups. They also provide drop-in services, including sport, music, art, women, men, life-skills and socialising. In addition they have a carers group, which gives practical and emotional support to individuals caring for someone who suffers from mental ill health. ACMHS is based at the Windrush Millennium Centre, 70 Alexandra Road, Moss Side, Manchester, M16 7WD. Telephone: 0161 226 9562 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm)

42nd Street supports young people aged 11-25 years with their emotional wellbeing and mental health, promoting choice and creativity. Their services include counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), One to One Support, Groups and Projects, Drop-ins, Arts-based activities. Telephone: 0161 228 7321 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am-5.00pm)

LGBT Foundation exists to support the needs of the diverse range of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans.  The LGBT Foundation helpline is available on 0345 3 30 30 30, 9am-9pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am-6pm Saturday (although please note, helpline times may vary slightly on Saturday. Please see their Facebook page to keep up to date with Helpline availability.) Outside of these hours you can email them for further information and support helpline@lgbt.foundation and they will aim to reply to you within 10 working days.

Hulme Community Garden Centre offers Health & Well Being volunteering opportunities on Fridays, 1.30-3pm. These sessions are tailored to individuals experiencing issues with well-being and mental health and focus on creating a quieter and calmer environment in which to enjoy gardening. In addition to these supported sessions, there are lots of other opportunities to volunteer with the gardening at other times, and they also have a shed with tools for woodworking and so on, for people who want to mend or make things. Call them on 0161 227 8198 or pop along to see them and have a chat.

Music Minds Matter is a support line and service for the whole UK music community, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Telephone: 0808 802 8008. Or you can also access the service by emailing MMM@helpmusicians.org.uk (please note there’s a 48-hour turnaround time for email response).