Sheffield Mind mental health centre reopens after pandemic closure

Mind's Wellbeing Centre on London Road in Sheffield has opened its doors to the public again after being closed for 30 months

A Sheffield mental health centre is welcoming people inside for the first time since closing at the start of the pandemic.

Mind's Wellbeing Centre had counsellors working inside over the past two years but its doors had been closed to the public.

The Sharrow Lane site said its "open door policy" had now returned.

The reopening coincided with Mental Health Awareness Week, which focuses on loneliness this year.

Despite supplying support and counselling virtually during the coronavirus pandemic, counsellors in Sheffield said the lack of face-to-face sessions had been "really difficult".

Shareen Rehman, counsellor co-ordinator with charity Roshni, which works with Mind in the community to help women from South Asian backgrounds, said group online sessions were hard.

"We've had to condense the sessions to really get engagement and get the work done. Not having colleagues to bounce off each other and offload too; sitting with that has been very tough."

Mind and Roshni will both restart face-to-face groups shortly.

Sixty new Mind staff have started at the centre to increase liaison with GP practices.

"It has been very tough for counsellors adjusting to not seeing the client face-to-face," Ms Rehman said.

"You miss the visual cues of the body you pick up to understand someone."