The pandemic has had a devastating impact on the mental health of the nation. In Devon, an area heavily reliant on tourism and hospitality, the cost of Covid-19 on the mental health of people in the county has yet to be reckoned. In June of last year, estimates suggested as many as 12,500 people in Devon would be seeking support for their mental health as a result of coronavirus, and as we emerge from a third national lockdown that figure is likely to rise significantly.

Both Devon Mind and Step One have looked at new ways to deliver their services to make sure the support we offer is accessible to as many people as possible. Our BeWell@StepOne service was borne from a strong desire to respond to Devon’s mental health needs in the ongoing crisis. Devon Mind has similarly sought to offer online mental health support and it became clear that by working together we can create better outcomes for people across the county and collectively we can tackle poor mental health in our communities.

We have launched Devon Mind x Step One as a strong, positive response to Covid-19 for the people of Devon – together we can draw on our resources and specialist knowledge to offer mental health support for as many people as possible, at a time when it is most needed.