Outline, a Catalyst Support LGBTQ+ listening service, is here to talk to anybody about gender identity and sexuality. We are a safe place to ask questions not only for the members of the LGBTQ+ community, but also for their family, friends and loved ones. We offer confidential support through our chat and don’t collect your […]

A personal story of finding a recipe for wellbeing through the right support, volunteering and community. A few years ago, Rob visited a GP with concerns about his mental health. He struggled with isolation and intrusive thoughts about harming himself, having been through a number of family challenges and losses. Rob tried several things to […]

Led annually by UK charity Alcohol Change UK, Alcohol Awareness Week runs from 7-13 July 2025, and this year’s theme is ‘alcohol and work’.  When it comes to alcohol, how does the work we do influence our drinking and our drinking impact our work?  Around 10 million of us are regularly drinking alcohol in ways […]

At our LGBTQ+ service Outline, we have been reviewing the feedback we’ve received about our service and have decided to make a few important changes moving forward. For over 25 years, Outline has run a listening service to support the LGBTQ+ community in Surrey, offering help through a phone line, text messages, online chat, emails, […]

9-15 June is Loneliness Awareness Week. Established in 2017 by a UK charity, this week allows us to open up conversations about loneliness, reduce the stigma surrounding it, and encourage people to build meaningful social connections.  Approximately 7% of adults in England, equal to 3.1 million people, report feeling lonely “often or always.” In addition, […]

A Novel Idea is Godalming’s oldest charity book and vinyl shop and the only one that belongs to our charity. The shop is more than just a place to buy books, it’s a community hub where volunteers and customers can share a love for literature and music.   One such connection recently came full circle when […]

Catalyst Support has received funding from the Mental Health Investment Fund to run ‘pop-up hubs’ from a single location in key neighbourhoods, with VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise) organisations, co-locating complimentary services in the community breaking down barriers to access, increasing joint-working and building community. We will open the hubs to visitors in May […]

Community Connections are releasing their brand-new timetable this May, designed to better reflect the interests, talents, and goals of the people we support. The timetable features a range of new courses and regular groups, all developed with the strengths of our team and the needs of our community in mind. Whether you’re looking to build […]

The Woking Safe Harbour, a daytime crisis prevention service for Surrey adults, is reflecting on their progress as the first clients complete the programme. Safe Harbour offers a comprehensive six-week programme for individuals referred clinically by healthcare professionals. The pilot launched in November 2024 and has now seen several clients through the full programme.   Hawa […]

End Stigma Surrey share their tips and support Mental health is just as important as physical health, yet many people hesitate to seek help due to fear of judgment or stigma. If you’re struggling, remember this: you don’t have to suffer in silence—and standing up for yourself is not only your right, but it’s also […]

Mental health stigma remains one of the biggest barriers to seeking help, healing, and embracing self-worth. For too long, people struggling with mental health issues have been met with dismissal or outright discrimination. But here’s the truth: no one should have to accept anything less than kindness, understanding, and respect when discussing their mental well-being. […]

February is LGBTQ+ History month, and our LGBTQ+ listening service Outline reflects on some significant historic figures from the LGBTQ+ community: Octavia Hill (1838-1912) was a campaigner for social reform and emphasised the importance of open space for all, coining the term ‘green belt’ and co-founding the National Trust.  Surrey’s Hydons Ball and Heath were […]

New legislation introduced to Parliament this week includes a new law that will mean that Cuckooing – a practice that involves criminals taking over the homes of vulnerable people to use for offences such as county lines drug dealing – will become a criminal offence with a maximum of five years in prison or a […]

The Bridge the Gap Alliance, part Surrey’s Changing Futures initiative, has secured new funding to continue its essential work supporting adults facing multiple disadvantages, including homelessness, substance misuse, mental health challenges, domestic abuse, and contact with the criminal justice system. This additional funding will empower this collective of 11 local charities, to keep providing trauma-informed […]

We are very pleased to announce that Catalyst Support, Mary Frances Trust and Waythrough (formerly Richmond Fellowship) are launching a new Community Connections Surrey partnership website as well as new marketing materials as part of a brand refresh. This comes after the three providers were awarded a new Community Connections contract in 2024 to continue […]

Catalyst Support is delighted to welcome Yvonne Rees as our new Chair of Trustees. Yvonne brings a wealth of experience from her extensive career in local governments across Surrey and the wider South East. Her professional journey working at various levels of the local government, including a series of executive positions at the district and […]

End Stigma Surrey: Encouraging Mental Health Conversations Across Communities. Time to Talk Day, happening on Thursday, 6 February 2025, is a nationwide event that highlights the importance of speaking openly about mental health. End Stigma Surrey, a campaign dedicated to raising awareness and reducing stigma around mental health, is urging businesses, colleges, and communities across […]

Lulu Sulkeld, Senior Worker at the Catalyst Support Safe Havens, talks about creating a self-soothing box, which can help a person get through a mental health crisis.    What is a self-soothing box?  A self-soothing box is any form of container (box/bag/cylinder) which contains items that help ground you when you’re feeling stressed, anxious, low […]

The holiday season is often seen as the most joyful time of the year. Everywhere you look, there are ads showing families laughing together, friends exchanging gifts, and couples sharing special moments. Social media is filled with posts about parties, decorations, and big family gatherings. While these images can be heartwarming, they can also be […]

End Stigma Surrey reflects on Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month and encourages everyone to keep the conversation open throughout the year As November wrapped up, so did Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to reflect on the unique challenges men face when it comes to mental well-being. In male-dominated spaces like construction sites, many offices, […]

Catalyst Support Service Improvement Manager Keely Glithero talks about her professional journey and the exciting new challenge she is about to start. Supporting people with multiple disadvantages When I began with the Southern Addiction Advisory Service in 2001, I took on the role of Manager of Boxmoore—a pioneering service designed to work assertively alongside children […]

Roger Drennan has served as a trustee and chair of Catalyst’s Finance, Remuneration and Investments Committee since 2017, and as a director of its social enterprise subsidiary, Alpha Community Outreach Ltd, for a similar length of time.       After completing a law degree, Roger worked for 3 years as a solicitor, and then had a long […]