Everyturn Mental Health announces second safe haven in Newcastle City Centre
The mental health non-profit, Everyturn Mental Health, has announced that work has started on its second safe haven in Newcastle upon Tyne – following the opening of its first in Ashington earlier this year.
The new safe haven, the second of three planned for the region, will be located at George Street Social in Newcastle city centre, which is also home to the charity Road to Recovery Trust and its Recovery Café.
The facilities will provide out-of-hours emotional and practical support for people experiencing mental health crisis without the need for clinical intervention - acting as an alternative to NHS crisis teams, A&E, the police, and other services.
Due to open in the Autumn, the Newcastle safe haven will accept referrals from GPs and crisis teams. A major refurbishment is currently underway after a £320,000 investment from North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB), with the building work being delivered by MGM Construction, with consultancy support provided by Saltbox Surveying.
Pasha Tanriverdi, Head of Development at Everyturn Mental Health, said: “We are delighted to be starting work on our second safe haven, and to soon be able to offer more space for people needing mental health support, in the heart of Newcastle.”
“The safe haven in Ashington has already proven to be a great addition to the community and is helping to ease pressures on other NHS services. We hope that our continued work with our NHS partners, and now The Road to Recovery Trust, in creating this new safe haven will help ensure that nobody struggles alone.”
Like other charitable organisations across the region, Everyturn has seen a surge in demand and referrals to its services due to social, environmental, and economic factors. In 2024, over 4,000 people accessed Everyturn’s ‘Together in a Crisis’ service, with almost 50% of people reporting financial issues as the cause of their distress.
Levi Buckley, Chief Delivery Officer at NENC ICB said: "It's so important for us all to know that the right support is there when we need it. You can get help through your GP practice, a mental health crisis team, or by calling 111, but the safe haven will offer a different type of support.
"The aim is to provide support when it's most needed, that's easily accessible and based in communities. When it opens, the Newcastle safe haven will help people manage their mental health crisis and offer support with issues that may be causing distress.”
Jimmy Dixon, Trust Manager at Road to Recovery Trust said: “As the North East's leading Recovery Capital organisation, we are thrilled to welcome Everyturn and the Safe Haven project into George Street Social.”
“Statistics show there is an unquestionable connection between active addiction and mental health issues, the collaboration between The Road to Recovery Trust and Everyturn can only be a major asset to Newcastle upon Tyne and the wider region to help people who need it most.”