BRECON’S new mayor Manny Trailor and education secretary Kirsty Williams opened a new community projects office for Brecon and District Mind on Ffrwdgrech industrial estate last week.

The charity has been chosen by the mayor as one of the causes he is supporting this year after he was elected to his role earlier this month.

The new centre, Ty Pen-y-Fan, will house the Vesper employment and volunteering project, a new perinatal service, called Mums Matter, and a social prescribing pilot project.

It will also serve as a base for Brecon and District Mind’s active monitoring practitioners.

Office coordinator Zoe Porter was keen to stress that the charity would continue to run its community well-being service at Ty Croeso, its office in St David’s House in Brecon town centre along with other services.

She said: “It was Mental Health Awareness Week last week, a time for Brecon and District Mind to highlight mental health support in South Powys and the growing need for services like those we provide in the local area.

“Our services have expanded over the last five years to the extent that we needed to open new premises to accommodate the projects that we run. We are excited by the opportunities that the new building offers in terms of workshop space, meeting room and training space which we would like to offer use of to other agencies as a locality venue for their own meetings and training needs.”

She said the Vesper project is being funded from the Active Inclusion Fund run by Wales Council for Voluntary Action, while the new social prescribing pilot project is being funded by Welsh Government.

Unveiling a plaque inside the new premises after Kirsty Williams had cut a ribbon to the outside doors, Cllr Trailor said: “I am extremely happy to have the opportunity to support Brecon and District Mind as one of my mayoral charities.

“Mental health has been until recent times an issue that seems to have been neglected by the mainstream.

“Voluntary groups and charities have fought tirelessly to support vulnerable people in all walks of life that are affected by mental illness and distress.

“Brecon and District Mind are invaluable in helping people to have access to the support that they need and I know that any money raised will truly be going to the front line, where it is most needed.”