David Floyd reports on the funding challenges facing Rephael House

A woman receiving an award document from a man in mayor's robes — Anesta Edge receives a Barnet Civic Award from then mayor, Cllr Tony Vourou (Credit – Rephael House)

A North Finchley mental health charity is calling for local support after a series of failed funding applications left its services under threat.

Rephael House, based in Woodhouse Road, has been providing therapy for both children and adults for 28 years. While it has NHS funding for some of its children’s services, it relies on grants to keep the costs of adult services affordable.

CEO Anesta Edge told Barnet Post that, after funding initially received the Covid-19 pandemic had come to an end, new funding has been hard to come by. She said: “Without community support it is going to be very difficult for us.”

There is high demand for what the charity offers, with 237 people using its services in June and a waiting list of over 100. However, Anesta says it is becoming increasingly difficult to get grant funders to support organisations that have been providing the same services for a long time. She explains: “People want something that’s new and innovative. But what we provide is what we’ve provided for 28 years and it works.”

Anesta also worries that some people are now less interested in mental health generally, as it’s not seen as a new and exciting problem. She adds: “People are over hearing about anxiety and depression but it hasn’t gone away.”

Rephael House is focused on making services accessible both practically and financially. Therapy sessions are available outside office hours to ensure people in work or education are able to attend. Anesta says: “People can’t always access a nine-to-five service, which is why we’ve made ourselves a seven day a week, evening and daytime service.”

Alongside this flexibility, a key element of the charity’s approach is to keep fees low, so that the “squeezed middle” who would be unable to afford more expensive private therapy are able to use the service. Anesta says: “For us, therapy needs to not be elitist.” She adds: “We don’t want to put our fees up anymore but, if we don’t get funding, then we have to.”

Following failed grant funding bids to National Lottery Community Fund and Children in Need, Rephael House is asking local people to help in any way that they can.

Anesta is planning a sponsored walk and is keen to hear from others who would be interested in doing similar activities to support the charity. She is also keen to hear from local organisations who might be able to sponsor therapy sessions.

To support Rephael House go to: https://www.rephaelhouse.org.uk/SupportingUs

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