Carlton Hayes Mental Health Charity

The Carlton Hayes Mental Health Charity, founded nearly 200 years ago from the legacy of Carlton Hayes Hospital, is a longstanding local funder dedicated to alleviating financial hardship for people experiencing or recovering from mental health problems in Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland. Its mission emphasizes compassion, practical support, and social inclusion through modest, targeted grants that promote well-being and therapeutic benefits, supplementing—not duplicating—statutory services. With deep roots in the local NHS and voluntary sector, it prioritizes vulnerable adults, young people facing economic disadvantage due to mental ill health, and their carers, fostering recovery via activities like outings, holidays, social events, theatre trips, skills workshops, and ward resources.

It funds project-specific costs for therapeutic social, educational, and travel initiatives that reduce isolation and enhance everyday lives, such as group seaside trips or festive gatherings, with a strong preference for small to medium UK-registered charities, community groups, NHS teams (e.g., Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust), and occasionally individuals nominated through mental health services. Strict geographic limits apply to Leicester City, Leicestershire, and Rutland residents or services; applicants must demonstrate financial need not met by public funding, with priority for organizations under £500,000 annual income.

Grants typically range from £500 to £5,000 (most £1,000–£2,500), awarded biannually at trustee meetings in March/April and September/October following rolling email or postal applications—simple cover letters with project details, beneficiary evidence, and impact suffice, with decisions in 6–12 weeks. Exclusions include core costs, large capital projects, or statutory-covered expenses. Distinctively, its trustee-led discretion, numerous timely small awards, and unwavering local mental health-poverty focus set it apart as a nimble partner for grassroots therapeutic interventions.