CAMELFORD Town Councillors have pledged their support to a new mental health unit for Cornwall.

The Sowenna Appeal is a new Cornwall-based project aiming to raise £1.2-million to create Sowenna, Cornwall’s first adolescent mental health unit at Bodmin.

With one in ten young people aged between five and 16 thought to have experienced a mental health problem, it is evident that the provision of mental health services in Cornwall is needed more than ever. Many young people in the county are being forced to seek help elsewhere in the country, to as far away as Birmingham, Essex, Kent and Cheshire.

The funding being sourced will help pay for a sports gym with fitness and sports equipment, parental accommodation for families to feel settled and supported while their child is undergoing treatment, a cafe area, therapeutic gardens and equipment for music, arts and cooking.

Once built, Sowenna will provide services including day care and education to both day service users and inpatients.

As part of their ongoing fundraising for the Sowenna Appeal, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is requesting funding from local councils and the public. Camelford Town Council was one such organisation to be contacted.

Opening discussions on the subject at the meeting of full council on January 15, deputy mayor Cllr Claire Hewlett asked if councillors would welcome the request for a grant.

Cllr Lauren Rathbone was quick to offer her support. She said: “I think this is very important.”

Cornwall Councillor for Camelford, Cllr Rob Rotchell, said there is a criteria for this matter. He said: “The number of young people in this community who use the CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) service, and who have to leave Cornwall to use these services in other parts of the country is astounding. I know of one young lady who had to go to Norwich to receive the support she needed.

“I think this is the best news we have had in a long time to have a mental health service in Cornwall, especially for children.” However, Cllr Rotchell said that the council should be clear on where the money would be going, instead of ‘to just a general pot’.

Cllr Hewlett added: “So it would be favourable to have a grant considered on its merit.”

Launceston Town Council has also supported the Sowenna Appeal with a donation.

They have agreed to donate £500 to the Sowenna appeal, a new young person’s mental health unit at Bodmin.

Councillors discussed the letter asking for support at the meeting on January 15.

Cllr Rob Tremain said to have such a facility in Cornwall would be great, adding: “Hopefully the council can find some way to support this appeal. I think the young people of Cornwall could benefit substantially from this.”

Cllr John Conway said: “It will benefit the people of Launceston because there will be people in Launceston who require this.”

He proposed that the council send an initial donation of £100, but Cllr Paul O’Brien felt £100 was ‘close to being miserly’ and suggested £500.

He said this was “far more in line with the level of rewards we normally make to local organisations that we deem worthy of our support.”

The proposal was amended, and councillors agreed to donate £500.