The Kaleidoscope Plus Group, a West Midlands-based charity which helps thousands of people across the UK each year and offers a range of services for people struggling with their emotional health and wellbeing is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Established in 1973 in Sandwell as a charity originally affiliated to Mind, Kaleidoscope Plus Group have five decades of experience in providing mental health support to thousands of people across the UK.

In 2013, as part of a drive to increase the reach and diversity of its support services, the charity disaffiliated from Mind and rebranded as The Kaleidoscope Plus Group and strives to provide a holistic approach to mental health services, ensuring support reaches those who need it most, no matter who or where they are.

To meet the needs of our community, the Kaleidoscope Plus Group provide a diverse range of services including:

  • Residential and Independent Living services
  • 24-hour text crisis support
  • Suicide Prevention Services
  • Bereavement Support
  • Counselling services
  • Mental Health Services for Children
  • Community Support
  • Activity Groups aimed at promoting inclusion, support, recovery, wellness, and self-care.
  • Training services.

In order to mark this momentous occasion, the mental health charity is launching its FeelGood50 campaign which looks to highlight the impact that they have made over its 50-year history but also looks forward to seeing how it can continue to have that impact across the UK.

As part of FeelGood50, it is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a gala dinner at The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield on Saturday 7 October. The event will be a celebration of its accomplishments as well as a fundraiser to support current and future services.

Monica Shafaq, CEO of the Kaleidoscope Plus Group, said: “When planning how we mark such a remarkable achievement, there seemed only one place to start, celebrating the impact that our dedicated staff, volunteers, and fundraisers have made over the decades.

“Our ethos has always been to help people on the road to feel good again, whether that be through the support they receive or the experience they have when fundraising or volunteering for us, FeelGood50 gives us an opportunity to celebrate this.

“I’m delighted that we can celebrate this anniversary with events taking place across the year that celebrate the brilliant work done across the organisation to support those who are struggling with their mental health and wellbeing.

“Whilst progress has been made regarding mental health, mental illness still exists in our lives, families, workplaces, and communities and impacts directly or indirectly on everyone. Sadly, it’s not an issue that will go away and we need to do as much as possible to talk about mental health to remove the stigma that surrounds seeking support, so more people feel comfortable to come forward. At KPG we are committed to stamping out the stigma.”

Over the years the Kaleidoscope Plus Group has introduced a Free national 24/7 text line service to support those in times of crisis, a Sanctuary Hub, a free space where the public can speak to a friendly support worker rather than having to visit an A&E department, introduced suicide bereavement support groups, delivered vital mental health training to businesses across the UK as well as much more.

On celebrating the momentous 50th anniversary, Neil Male, Chair of the Kaleidoscope Plus Group, said: “We are delighted to be able to celebrate our 50th anniversary this year and shine a light on the impact our services make in helping so many people.

“For a long time now mental health and physical health have been treated as two separate entities but, at KPG we are committed to making them part of the same conversation.

“I can’t thank our staff, volunteers, and supporters, past and present, enough for the role they play in allowing us to provide the care we do. We won’t be resting on the laurels of this special year, and we are excited about what the future holds for the Kaleidoscope Plus Group.”

The Kaleidoscope Plus Group will be holding their 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner later this year to celebrate the anniversary. The dinner will take place at the Belfry Hotel and Spa on Saturday 7 October and promises to be an exciting night of fun, laughter, celebration, and entertainment.