A SCOTTISH charity has opened anew free walk-in mental health hub to help people access non-clinical support.
The Nook, at Marischal Square in Aberdeen, welcomed its first visitors this week and runs from 10am to 5pm seven days a week.
With 10 staff members and supported by 18 volunteers, The Nook is run by Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH).
The charity has previously worked in the north east to support accommodation services, prevent suicide, and provide mental health workers provided to GPs.
SAMH recently made headlines when the Scottish Government pledged to donate £400,000 towards a Scotsman's 3000 mile fundraiser trek to the World Cup.
The launch of The Nook in Glasgow last year saw more than 3000 visitors in the first six months. Aberdeen launched its own this Wednesday as the second Nook in Scotland, with a third opening in Edinburgh next year.
The hubs aim to provide immediate support for people experiencing mental health problems, with a range of support including one-to-one practitioner sessions, talking therapies and group events.
They offer support to people supporting others with mental health issues, and plan to run bookable evening workshops.
The Nook launch in Aberdeen was heavily anticipated, with staff at the hub saying that some people eagerly tried to access its services before it even opened.
Alex Cumming, a director at SAMH, said: “The Nook is our response to the mental health crisis and I’m delighted that it is now open in Aberdeen.
“Our early data [from Glasgow] shows that The Nook is starting to relieve pressure on statutory services by providing an alternate route to accessing support.”
According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the number of general psychiatry consultants have decreased by 22% over a ten year period.
Between 2011 and 2022, the number of people reporting mental health conditions more than doubled for the general population and increased six-fold for 16 to 24 year olds.
Though it offers general rather than specialised psychiatric support, The Nook aims to make finding help easier.
Eilidh Hunter, a mental health campaigner from Alford who sits on the SAMH young people’s panel, shared: "It can be really hard to seek help if you're struggling, and when you do you might face barriers like waiting lists and confusing systems.
"There's so much information about mental health out there but actually this can be quite overwhelming and difficult to navigate.
"With The Nook, you can walk in when you feel ready and someone will be there to help you there and then.”
The Nook service manager Felicitas Fischer said the first day of opening went well. She said: “We've had a great first day at The Nook, with plenty of supportive conversations throughout the day.
“If you or someone you know is looking for support, or if you're just curious about what The Nook offers, please do stop by and see us - there will always be a warm welcome from me and my team. We’re really looking forward to welcoming even more people over the coming days.
“We’ll soon be hosting a range of workshops, conversation cafés, wellbeing walks and other group activities designed to support mental health and wellbeing in a welcoming, informal setting.”
“These will be available to book through Eventbrite, and we’ll be sharing full details on our social media channels as soon as sessions begin.”
More information is available on The Nook website.
