Company's bake sale adds to Morpeth Mayor's fundraising efforts for mental health charity

The Morpeth Lions held their annual book sale earlier this month and at this event, Home Instead South East Northumberland ran a stall selling cakes and some savoury items.

The office team and care professionals pulled out all the stops to ensure there was a wide range available, including a chocolate cake as a raffle prize.

They were sold in aid of Contact Morpeth Mental Health Group, which was founded in 1986. More than £200 was raised.

It has grown since its origin and now offers a wide range of support to anyone in need, including counselling, as well as social activities such as The Coffee Den, craft and photography workshops.

The vital work carried out helps ensure that people in the parts of Northumberland it covers do not have to face emotional and mental health issues alone.

It even has a caravan, which is used to give members much-needed respite holidays.

Guy Kirk, director of Home Instead South East Northumberland, said: “Having worked tirelessly to support our clients during the Covid-19 lockdowns, we know how much of an impact loneliness and isolation can have.

“We are thrilled to be able to get out and about in the community again, and we felt that Contact Morpeth Mental Health Group was the perfect charity to support, given the fantastic work they do within the community.”

Morpeth Mayor David Bawn has been raising money for Contact Morpeth, with more than £24,000 raised throughout his two-year term in office.

Rhona Dunn, the charity’s chairman, said: “I always feel we are really lucky as a charity as we get so much support from our local community.

“We do not get any Government funding and it costs us £90,000 per year to keep our doors open.

“The centre is run mainly by volunteers, without whom we could not manage.

“Our aim is to make our members feel useful in a world where many do not care about mental health.”