Substation workers overhaul local charity’s bases

A charity which supports and assists in the provision of mental health support in Orkney has been boosted by a cohort of visiting contractors.

The storage and shop facilities of Kirkwall-based Mind-On has been significantly upgraded, with the spaces given a remarkable transformation.

The new spaces are now enabling the charity to dedicate resources elsewhere, allowing them to continue to boost local mental health funding.

Volunteers at Mind-On recently joined forces with workers currently using their skills on the Orkney Link project, which includes the Finstown substation.

Together, a packed shipping container full of charity donations from the generous Orkney public was cleared and delivered to the Firth Community Centre.

Surplus donations had built up until items were difficult to access and sort, with a risk of goods being damaged.

The huge amount of items were sifted through and organised, as work got under way to fit out the container with valuable storage space and shelving.

Charity volunteers and workers alike spent four days sorting and cataloguing donations while professional racking was installed in the container.

As this was going on, in the charity’s Kirkwall store on Albert Street, a small storeroom was being kitted out with shelving and improved lighting. This enabled stock to be sorted and redisplayed.

The work was supported by BAM, SSEN Transmission, Siemens Energy and subcontractor partners as part of their commitment to leave a lasting benefit for the community.

For the new chairwoman of Mind-On, Kerry Cooper, the opportunity to streamline and improve two key areas of the charity’s operation with assistance from a skilled team was too good to miss.

The team supplied vans, drivers, additional labour, gloves and heavy-duty bags and disposed of rubbish.

Facilities contractors ESS, supplied food including bacon rolls and homebakes and transported those involved to the substation site to use the canteen.

“It was a great chance for our volunteers to meet each other, to work together and it was really a lot of fun,” said Kerry.

Of the substation workers, she said they could not have been more positive and helpful.

“They, alongside our own volunteers, all worked tremendously hard,” she added.

The improvements to the container and storeroom will benefit Mind-On significantly, making donations easier to access and rotate, creating a safer working environment.

“It’s made processing the donations we kindly receive from the Orkney public easier and quicker, which in turn helps us generate more funds to pass on to local mental health organisations,” explained Kerry.

Founded in 2018 by Lorraine Sinclair after her daughter tragically took her own life, Mind-On began as a pop-up shop in Victoria Street, raising money for mental health support within Orkney.

It later moved to larger premises opposite The Brig and became a fully-fledged charity in January 2020.

The charity sells donated goods and invites funding applications from Orkney-based mental health services and charities, with all money raised staying within the county.

In that time, it has donated tens of thousands to groups, organisations and other charities, all to assist in helping others.

Grants can support counselling, peer support groups, clinical supervision and other services.

Maxine Garson, BAM’s senior social sustainability manager for Infrastructure Scotland, said: “By working together to improve the charity’s facilities, we hope to make a lasting difference for its volunteers and service users, helping Mind-On continue its important work long after our involvement in the project has ended.

“For us, this is about more than constructing a substation; it is about investing in the social sustainability of the communities we have the privilege to work alongside.”

Mind-On is now appealing for more volunteers to join its existing team, whose ages range from 17 to 87.

“We have had to turn donations away,” said Kerry, “not because we don’t have room, or want them, but because we don’t have the staff to process the stock.”

Help is required with sorting and pricing donations, working on tills and creating window displays.

Kerry stressed that even a small commitment could make a difference: “Even an hour really can make a difference.”

Find out more about shopping, donating or volunteering with Mind-On by visiting their Facebook page, phoning the team on 01856 881 837, or emailing at info@mindonorkney.co.uk