Bognor Regis community interest group receives boost

Bognor Regis-based community interest company Frame of Mind is set to receive £29,000 from West Sussex County Council.

The council’s finance chief, Michael Brown, has decided to approve the group’s bid to its social enterprise fund.

Mr Brown, the council’s cabinet member for finance and resources, said: “Supporting this already successful project means people living with dementia will be able to feel part of the community and will feel inspired to give something back.

“If people are able to remain active for longer, we may start seeing better outcomes for people in West Sussex.”

Frame of Mind, set up in October 2006, helps to reach socially excluded adults, often overlooked by mainstream employers by providing vocational training on making picture frames to order.

It supports people with mental health issues and learning disabilities remain active members of the community.

This new funding will help the organisation at the Arun Business Park off Shripney Road develop its work with dementia sufferers.

The training approach means people’s expectations of themselves are challenged to enhance a number of wider life skills, such as concentration, complex problem-solving and self discipline.

The idea is as participants learn picture framing and general business skills, their confidence will grow to allow them to become more active members of the community.

This enables the project to help break down some of the stigma that exists around mental ill-health and dementia by showing what participants can do.

The Social Enterprise Fund was set up to provide funding for positive and sustainable social enterprise proposals. It had £300,000 available in the current year.