Mental health group Pepper's remains open in Oakham High Street.
It's staying open to provide support to people in the community.
A mental health group called Pepper's is staying open throughout lockdown to support people in the community who are struggling with their mental health.
What is Pepper's?
Margaret Miles the vice chair of Pepper's said:
"It's there to help people with ongoing serious mental health issues, we call it a safe place and it's exactly that."
"It's also a place for people with poor mental health to come along, meet people who they feel comfortable with, who don't judge them, who will listen to them."
The group did have to shut in the first lockdown, because of the government advice. However, that's since changed, meaning voluntary groups supporting vulnerable people and those with long term health issues can open.
People are now being welcomed back to Pepper's, after making the environment covid safe.
Due to Covid, there is currently a limit to the number of members who can attend at any one session.
Margaret said:
"Many of our members who have started coming back have been massively isolated, and their mental health certainly hasn't improved, and we felt it was really important to get going as soon as possible."
"We have to do this with limited numbers. But, we're finding that people are coming back regularly."
"It's a real pleasure when you go in, and see people chatting with one another, feeling comfortable, perhaps having a cup of coffee and you realise for many of them it is their outing of the week."
During the pandemic, the demand for the service has increased, with a number of agencies contacting the group with people who would benefit from coming to Peppers.
The group, situated on Oakham High Street is open on a Tuesday and Thursday morning, however they're hoping to open more days of the week.
They are encouraging anyone who needs to reach out to do so and not sit alone, they say there is no agenda or judgement and that Pepper's is a safe place.