A mental health charity is among community groups across the country benefitting from National Lottery funding during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Financial support raised from players of the lottery is helping Maidstone and Mid-Kent Mind (MMKM) to continue to support its users and offer online training to those wanting to help support people with mental wellbeing needs.

In all, charities and organisations across the UK are set to benefit from up to £600 million of repurposed money from The National Lottery being targeted at organisations working to support communities during the ongoing crisis.

Many charities have warned of a shortfall in funding as the effects of the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown impact on their sources of income.

Among a number of packages, up to £300 million from The National Lottery Community Fund will be distributed to groups best placed to support people and communities over the next six months.

Dawn Austwick, chairman of The National Lottery Forum, said: "The National Lottery has always supported projects that help people and communities across the UK thrive.

"And now the funds available are switching focus to support communities, arts, heritage, sport, education and the environment to mitigate the unprecedented pressure they are coming under as the country rallies to overcome Covid-19."

MMKM is using funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to expand and develop online training during the coronavirus outbreak, including a Mental Health First Aid training course.

This training provides people with the opportunity to expand their knowledge on a broad range of mental health topics, and encourages them to use these skills and techniques to support people who may be struggling during lockdown.

Julie Blackmore, chief executive of MMKM, said: "Our training has always been designed to help people increase their knowledge, whilst also empowering people to support others around them who may be struggling.

"With the current situation surrounding the coronavirus, it has never been more important to think about other people’s mental health, and so we believe it is important to encourage dialogues and discussions around mental health.

"Thanks to our funders, we have been able to greatly reduce the costs of all our training – in the hopes that we will be able to encourage people to get involved, whilst also making these opportunities available to all who may benefit from them during these difficult times."

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