Our Story

A small group of people met in hospital whilst receiving treatment for their mental health. They were feeling better but didn’t know if that would continue once they went back home…

They decided to form a group, to support one another, a safe space, to listen, to share without judgement, to focus on their wellbeing.

The group evolved and became a charity, with the original ethos at the heart of everything they did. The first project was supported accommodation, again a safe space, with a focus on wellbeing.

The first staff member was employed – Cheryl and she’s still with us today! The original service has grown, to multiple properties and support for people in their own homes all across Pembrokeshire, but the values remain.

In 1993 the next step was a drop-in, a small room on Perrots Road with a group of 10 or so regulars. Open 7 mornings a week from 10am until 1pm providing a warm welcome, a drink and biscuit with mental health advice.

We moved home in the early 2000s to a much larger property by the river – The Old Wool Market. The extra space enabled us to develop the service, from teas and coffees to a hot dinner cooked by volunteers who improved their skills whilst filling hungry stomachs.

We developed a 1:1 space for mental health advice and counselling, an art class, specific groups like our Hearing Voices Group, an amazing library of mental health books, a suite of training courses designed to help people feel better and best of all a massive supportive community – regularly welcoming 40 people a day.

Once again, victims of our own success, we outgrew our space and now find ourselves back at Perrots Road (just like in 1993). All thanks to a grant from the Welsh Government, we were able to purchase our own building meaning that Mind Pembrokeshire is here for the long term. We have a lovely spacious building set over 2 floors, dedicated to supporting the people of Pembrokeshire with their mental health - day and night!

Our drop-in is still open every day for everyone and we provide services in the community as well as lots of services virtually so that people can access our support from the comfort of their own homes.

In addition, we are incredibly excited to have purchased a property in Pembroke Dock, a space for a drop-in as well as 2 flats for people with mental health problems to live with support and encouragement. This is all thanks to one of the founder members of that original small group all those years ago. His legacy will be the continuation of support, of safe spaces, of improved mental health for the people of Pembrokeshire.

Thank you Hywel for everything, Diolch yn fawr iawn!

A big thank you also to Rosie, one of our first-ever members who fact-checked this whistle-stop tour of Mind Pembrokeshire.

Rosie went out for a lettuce and ended up volunteering for Mind Pembrokeshire for 28 years!