The Sanctuary Crisis Hub CIC at Yeates Corner, Portland, offers a free, face to face service for those experiencing crisis, depression, anxiety, and other mental distress. As a way of celebrating the milestone, volunteers and service users came together to have a party at the Cozy Corner wellbeing lounge. Sanctuary birthday bash (Image: Sanctuary) The Cozy Corner wellbeing lounge ‘is set up like a living room with a fire, tables and chairs,’ and is a relaxing setting where activities are often hosted like crafts and ‘Lunch Buddies’ where people go along, get a meal and have a chat with others.
The service was founded by Izzy Sommers, 54, who is a qualified hypnotherapist, life coach, and therapist. Ms Sommers explained that she created The Sanctuary because she also runs a private therapy practice on Portland and ‘has had lots of people coming in to see her which is when she realised that a lot of people couldn’t afford to be in therapy.’ Sanctuary birthday bash (Image: Sanctuary) She believes that it was unfair for people to be feeling low due to not having access to a service like The Sanctuary – so she set it up.
Ms Sommers said: “I wouldn’t have been able to do this without my incredible team of volunteers. It’s important for people to talk with someone who understands what they are going through.” There are 10 volunteers who ‘all work incredibly hard,’ with the founder making a special mention of Jenny Foot and Sam Bowditch.
Sanctuary birthday.