A SUPPORT group for people with mental health problems has welcomed its new home.

Members of Braintree Rethink Self-help Art Group have settled into a new home at Braintree & Bocking Community Centre.

Co-ordinator Trina Whittaker founded the group with two others in 2008 and its membership has grown from four to more than 30 since then.

She said: “The most we have had in one day is 37 but we are just touching the tip of the iceberg.

“We recently left the Archer Community Centre in East Street and went to Braintree Museum. We got moved about a bit in the little rooms every so many weeks which unsettles the group.

“After that we went to the Town Hall but we are growing and we were too big for a permanent base there.

“Now we are at the Community Centre in Bocking End and I’m hopeful that this will be the last move for us. We moved in last Tuesday, it’s a new start and new beginnings.” The group offers a place for those with any kind of mental illness – including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia or personality disorders – to talk, socialise and have fun making art.

Mrs Whittaker, a carer for her son who has schizophrenia, said: “We supply all the materials and people pay £2 a week to come, they do their own thing – we don’t tell them what to do. Sometimes one of them will do a demo or something like that, they do create some lovely bits.

“As long as people have some form of mental illness they will be welcome.

They can bring someone with them on their first time because it can be a bit daunting walking into a room of strangers.”

The group meets every Tuesday, either from 1pm to 4pm or noon to 2pm.

N E-mail trinawh@btinternet.com.