This month is Movember, and we’re proud to champion men’s health and wellbeing. Movember is dedicated to raising awareness of key issues affecting men, including mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.
We’re honoured to be partnering with the incredible Old Bank Wellbeing Trust as part of our November Charity of the Month campaign. Together, we’re supporting vital conversations and initiatives that make a real difference in men’s lives.
A few members of our Coda Pharmacy team recently had the opportunity to visit The Old Bank in Hampden Park, Eastbourne. During our visit, we met the inspiring team and learned first-hand about the incredible work they do to support individuals facing mental health challenges.
The Old Bank is a charitable organisation committed to making counselling accessible for all, with a bursary scheme to accommodate those in financial hardship. They provide counselling for anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship difficulties, compulsive behaviours, anger, phobias and stress. In addition to meeting with people in person, they are able to offer sessions online too.
The story behind The Old Bank Wellbeing Trust is truly inspiring. Its founders, Dani and Claire, had previously served as trustees for a local charity that provided low-cost counselling services for over 15 years. When that charity was forced to close due to a lack of funding, they were determined not to let its mission end there.
Motivated by their passion for accessible mental health support, Dani and Claire went on to establish a not-for-profit organisation that offers professional counselling services to those who can afford them, using any profits to subsidise counselling for individuals on lower incomes. Their dedication paid off when The Old Bank officially achieved charity status in February 2023.
The inspiration for The Old Bank came after the tragic loss of several local men in the construction industry to suicide. This made it a priority for the organisation to create a space that feels especially welcoming and supportive for men.
Director Claire Howell said: “There was a real concern that men often find it difficult to share some of the stuff that's affecting them so we were quite determined when we opened this place that it would be open for men and that it would feel okay for men to come in.”
As part of their commitment to supporting men’s mental health, The Old Bank works closely with the male support group Mankind. This partnership allows Mankind to refer men to The Old Bank for professional counselling, while The Old Bank can connect clients to Mankind for valuable peer support, ensuring men receive both professional and community-based help.
Understanding that many men can feel hesitant or ashamed about seeking mental health support, The Old Bank has taken thoughtful steps to make their space as approachable as possible. The exterior signage is kept discreet, allowing visitors to enter without feeling self-conscious. Inside, the environment has been carefully designed with a more masculine feel, featuring comfortable, understated furnishings that help men feel relaxed and at ease from the moment they walk in.
Claire added: “Some of the men that have come to us have been on the edge of taking their own lives and just the opportunity to sit down and explore what's been going on for them has really made a difference.
Even as I think about it, I can think of quite a few men who are alive today because of the support and the help they have had from their counsellors here.”
In addition to their counselling services, The Old Bank also offers a range of training sessions and support groups open to the community. One of their key initiatives is a five-part workshop programme designed specifically for parents and carers of loved ones living with eating disorders. This free programme provides practical tools, resources, and guidance to help families better support their loved ones through recovery.
They also run regular parent and carer support groups, creating a safe and understanding space where people can share experiences, connect with others in similar situations, and gain valuable advice from experienced facilitators.
At Coda Pharmacy, we believe good health goes beyond prescriptions, it’s about mental, emotional, and social wellbeing too. Partnering with The Old Bank this Movember allows us to support a cause that’s changing lives right here in our community.
If you or someone you love is struggling with their mental health, please know help is available, you don’t have to face it alone.
We can’t thank The Old Bank enough for partnering with us this month as we spotlight such an important topic. We can’t wait to share more from our time spent with the team at The Old Bank. Follow our socials to be the first to see. Facebook Instagram YouTube
For more information on how The Old Bank Wellbeing Trust can support you, visit https://theoldbankwellbeing.org.uk/contact/.
To donate to The Old Bank and support their bursary scheme, click here.
Coda Pharmacy is here to support you every step of the way. From offering expert advice to delivering your NHS prescriptions free of charge. If you have any questions about what you have read in this article or any of the services that Coda Pharmacy can provide you with, please do not hesitate to reach out and contact us here.