A MEN’S mental health charity has stressed the dangers Cornwall is facing after a number of mental health centres closed across the county.

At the end of March, it was announced that a number of mental health services would be closing their doors. It came as part of what Cornwall Council called “wider changes to how support is provided locally”.

However, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust revealed that a new provider had been appointed by the council to deliver a redesigned service from Wednesday, April 1. However, the trust was informed that the provider has withdrawn.

As a result, centres in Bude, Camborne, Truro, Falmouth, Penzance and St Austell have shut as part of a wider transformation of services.

Now, Man Down CIC is stressing the risk that this poses to local residents.

Man Down CIC, a Cornwall-based charity providing free, peer-led support groups for men, says the closures risk leaving many without the safe, familiar environments they rely on to stay well.

“For many men, walking into a room and sitting with others who understand is the first step toward recovery,” said Ross Jackson-Hicks, founding director of Man Down CIC. “You cannot replicate that with a leaflet, a referral, or a distant service. Human connection saves lives.”

The organisation has highlighted that its model works because it removes barriers - no referrals, no waiting lists and no pressure to speak - creating a consistent, local space where men can engage at their own pace.

A spokesperson for the organisation said: “Men remain less likely to seek help early and are disproportionately affected by suicide. The loss of community-based centres risks pushing support further out of reach, particularly for those already hesitant to engage with more formal services.”

Man Down also warns that periods of transition in service provision can create unintended gaps, disrupting routines and increasing isolation for vulnerable individuals.

“When services disappear, even temporarily, people fall through the cracks and too often, those cracks are where we lose lives,” added Ross Jackson-Hicks. “We all want a system that works better. But change must not come at the cost of connection. Because for many people, that connection is the difference between coping and crisis.”

The charity is calling for greater recognition and investment in grassroots, peer-led support networks that complement clinical services, not replace them. Local, face-to-face provision remains essential for building trust, encouraging early intervention and preventing crisis.

Despite the closures, Cornwall Council says everyone currently using the services is being supported to access suitable alternatives in their local area from April 1, including a personal review of the support they receive.

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust sites in Launceston and Liskeard will continue to serve as a base for other community mental health services. A spokesperson for Cornwall Council said that while the future of trust-owned buildings in Bodmin and Newquay is yet to be determined, the trust works closely with nearby sites that provide mental health day activities such as Newquay Orchard.