The Duncan & Toplis Foundation supports charities and community organisations that make a meaningful difference within the communities it serves. Among the latest recipients is Don’t Lose Hope, a Bourne-based mental health charity providing support to people across the local area.
A £1,000 donation from the Foundation will help sustain a second weekly session of the charity’s Night Light Café, following a reduction in NHS funding from two evenings per week to one.
The Night Light Café has formed part of Don’t Lose Hope’s mental health services since 2022, providing a safe, welcoming and non-clinical environment for adults experiencing mental ill health, loneliness, social isolation or homelessness, as well as those recovering from mental health crises.
Opening on Monday and Wednesday evenings, when many other services are unavailable, the café offers somewhere for people to turn for support and companionship. Around 20 to 25 guests attend each session, supported by a trained Night Light Co-ordinator and 15 trained volunteers.
Guests can access one-to-one and peer support, take part in activities, share experiences and build friendships, with access to additional services available where needed. For many who attend, the café provides an important opportunity to feel accepted, valued and connected to others.
Alongside the Night Light Café, Don’t Lose Hope provides free and low-cost counselling, delivering almost 200 sessions each week. Its wider services include a community garden and shed, a volunteer-run café and support groups for people affected by issues including bereavement, homelessness, domestic abuse and addiction.
Jenna Maryniak, Fundraising Manager and Counsellor at Don’t Lose Hope, said: “Don’t Lose Hope is delighted to receive a £1,000 grant from The Duncan & Toplis Foundation to help sustain a second weekly session of its Night Light Café in Bourne.
“Thanks to their support, dozens of vulnerable adults in our community will continue to have somewhere safe to turn, every week, when they need it most.”
If you would like to support the continued work of The Duncan & Toplis Foundation, you can donate here. Alternatively, if you’re looking for funding for a local community initiative, find out more about our grant criteria and how to apply here.
