A collaboration between a Warwick business and a local mental health charity has seen a surge in people seeking help, figures have revealed.

People Arches Ltd, the company behind McDonald's on Emscote Road, teamed up with Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind to provide a place for its wellbeing vehicle to park, offering a mobile 'Safe Haven' to provide support for those experiencing mental health distress.

The vehicle, which provides non-clinical, community-based support in the evening when most other options are closed, set up in the car park on four Thursdays across May, June and July - during which it received the highest number of service users since it started in July 2024.

Figures from Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind showed that in the quarter covered by the visits, there was a 250 percent increase in the number of face-to-face contacts with service users, and double the number of overall contacts.

Safe Haven Service Manager from Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind, Sam Starling, said: "It's been an absolute privilege to be able to support those people in Warwick who have taken the brave step to reach out.

"Some have shared tears of relief, others have promised to spread the word and we've already had people return after an initial visit to say 'I've been working on what we discussed and I am already starting to feel better, so thank you'."

The Safe Haven service in Coventry and Warwickshire was first started in 2018 (image via People Arches Ltd)

In May and June, in addition to those who practitioners individually supported, 35 people approached the wellbeing vehicle to find out what it was and get more information, with some taking away leaflets and subsequently contacting the Safe Haven Team, Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind said.

The Safe Haven service in Coventry and Warwickshire was first started in 2018 and now provides open-access community venues in Coventry and Nuneaton, seven evenings a week, with additional venues available in Warwick, Rugby and Coleshill each week.

The Wellbeing Vehicle is more commonly seen in the daytime at community events offering low-level mental health support, stress management tips and coping strategies and guidance on local services, but the collaboration with People Arches saw it become a mobile 'Safe Haven' to add to the reach of the service and help people in Warwick.

During its time at Emscote Road McDonald's, people experiencing mental health distress were able to access crisis intervention, de-escalation, and mental health support.

Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind said that despite some concerns that people might not want to come to seek help in such a public space, the opposite had been the case, with a familiar location removing anxiety around seeking help for mental health.

Figures from Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind showed that in the quarter covered by the visits, there was a 250 percent increase in the number of face-to-face contacts with service users, and double the number of overall contacts (image via People Arches Ltd)

"This is a location they can already picture in their minds, with no anxiety around walking into a mental health building," added Sam.

"It's easy to park, they don't have to explain to friends or family members where they're going, they can simply say, 'I'm popping to McDonalds' or 'I'm just going to the supermarket'.

"Our Safe Haven team has created a safe, non-judgmental environment even in the middle of a busy car park! We have not only supported members of our local community to access support for their friends and family but also to check in with themselves, acknowledging the impact of supporting others and encouraging them to explore ways they can prioritise their own wellbeing and build resilience."

The project was such a success that four more dates are already being planned - with the mobile Safe Haven returning to McDonald's on Thursday, 31 July, Thursday, 14 August, Thursday, 28 August and Thursday 11 September - all from 6pm to 10.30pm.

People Arches Ltd founder Dawood Ibtehsam said: "We're over the moon that our vision for the partnership with Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind has become a reality and has proven to have helped people who needed it most, as well as to raise awareness for the service.

"Community is at the heart of what we do at People Arches and the fact that we have provided a safe place for people to seek support is exactly the kind of thing we want to do to give back. We're looking forward to continuing the project and exploring other ways we can help the community in Warwick."