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Inspire
October 2026
Edition
Creating Change, Together.
Together, we're creating change - one person, one connection and
one step at a time.
Welcome to our latest newsletter!
This month, we’re celebrating the incredible impact your support makes at Mary Frances Trust (MFT).
From social groups and community activities to crisis support, your generosity helps create spaces where people can find hope, build confidence and feel a sense of belonging.
We’ll also be sharing some inspiring fundraising stories, simple ways you can support MFT – including doing your Christmas shopping from your armchair – and plenty of opportunities to get involved.
To everyone who donates, fundraises, volunteers and champions MFT: Thank You! Your support helps make a real difference to people’s lives, every day.
If you would like any information about fundraising for MFT, please email me or call on 07887 846392.
Biba, Fundraising Officer
biba@maryfrancestrust.org.uk
Turning Lonely Saturdays into Connection
What can a cup of coffee, a friendly face and a Saturday morning mean to someone who feels alone?
Our Saturday Coffee & Social Group is turning simple moments of connection into lasting friendships, growing confidence and a real sense of belonging.
Discover how this welcoming community is making a difference – and why 3 more years of funding from The Borrows Charitable Trust Fund, via The Community Foundation for Surrey, means the story is only just beginning.
- Saturdays 10am-11.30am in Ashtead
- Contact us on 01372 375400 or email info@maryfrancestrust.org.uk for more information
We Create Change Together Fundraising Campaign
For more than 30 years, MFT has been creating change in the way mental health and emotional wellbeing support is delivered across Surrey.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be celebrating the people, stories and moments that show what that change looks like in practice – from supporting someone find connection, rebuild confidence or take their first steps towards recovery.
But behind every number is a person.
Someone looking for support.
Someone who needs to feel heard.
Someone who simply needs to know they’re not alone.
And the impact goes far beyond the numbers. Clients tell us how our services have helped them rebuild relationships, return to work, reconnect with their families and communities, discover a sense of purpose and feel more confident about the future. This is what creating change looks like.
Help us keep creating change
Our services are free to people with a Surrey GP, making sure that financial circumstances aren’t a barriet to accessing support. But delivering this support takes a community to get behind us.
That’s where you can help
A donation to MFT, whatever the size, can help us continue providing accessible, compassionate mental health and emotional wellbeing support across Surrey.
Together we can keep creating change.
Please make a donation today and help us continue our work.
Thank you for believing in the importance of accessible, compassionate mental health support, and for being part of the MFT community.
Waitrose Green Token Scheme
We’re thrilled to be taking part in the Waitrose & Partners Green Token Scheme at their Hersham store, from 1 October until the end of December 2026.
If you’re shopping at Waitrose & Partners in Hersham, please consider voting for MFT! You can pick up a green token at the check-out areas in-store. There will be 3 good causes you can vote for – the one with the most tokens will receive £1,500, 2nd place will receive £1,000 and 3rd place will receive £500.
It’s such a great initiative from Waitrose & Partners. We’ve just finished the voting in-store at the Epsom branch. Look out for future in-store voting in the Cobham, Leatherhead, Dorking and Esher branches of Waitrose & Partners!
Easyfundraising - support for MFT from your armchair!
Don’t forget that you can support us while you shop online! In previous years we’ve received just over £300 from Easyfundraising – the online shopping platform. It doesn’t cost you any more to shop with them, but every time you make a purchase with them you will be donating to MFT by the click of your mouse! The link below will tell you more about it.
The Bookham & Horsley Rotary Club Gala Night
A night of entertainment raises £1,900 for MFT!
A huge thank you to the Bookham & Horsley Rotary Club for hosting a fantastic evening of entertainment and fundraising in support of MFT.
On Friday 22 May, more than 130 guests enjoyed an evening of brilliant performances from talented students at The Guildford School of Acting (GSA), featuring songs from much-loved West End productions alongside contemporary favourites.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of everyone who attended, and the raffle held on the evening, an amazing £1,900 was raised for MFT!
We’re incredibly grateful to the Rotary Club for choosing MFT as their charity partner, to everyone who came along and donated, and to the GSA performers for making it such a memorable evening.
Thank you for helping us continue to create change in mental health and emotional wellbeing across Surrey.
Therfield School in Leatherhead raises £1,322 for MFT!
Congratulations and a huge thank you to Therfield School!
We were so proud of the incredible achievement of class 8Y1 in winning the First Give project for MFT earlier on this year (April 2026). This is the second time Therfield School has secured a £1,000 prize for MFT, as they also won in 2023!
First Give is an inspiring charity that empowers young people to create positive change in society. Through the programme, students learn about different causes, connect with local charities and take meaningful action to make a difference in their communities.
Lauren Richardson, 8Y1’s teacher, said this:
“This term Year 8 have been working with First Give to learn about the different challenges facing their local community and how charities work to support individuals and groups of people. 8Y1 chose to support Mary Frances Trust as they recognised the need for Mental Health support, especially for young people. They recognised the importance of the various ways MFT supports the local area, especially with its football team! Amazingly, their class has raised nearly £200 through social action and has won a further £1000 from First Give to donate to MFT.”
On top of their fantastic fundraising, another year 8 class who were also taking part in the First Give project, raised £122 for MFT, bringing the grand total of £1,322.
Huge thanks to the students and teachers at Therfield School for engaging with this terrific project.
Thank you to St John's for their year of fundraising!
Throughout the last academic year, the boys from Monty House and North House at St John’s school in Leatherhead were busy fundraising for MFT – from an evening fundraiser and bake sales to getting involved in their Christmas Fayre.
And together, they raised an amazing £1,587.49!
We are so grateful for all the time, energy and enthusiasm they put into supporting MFT. Their fundraising will help us continue supporting people across Surrey with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.
10/10 boys – you absolutely smashed it!
Thank you for choosing to support Mary Frances Trust and for helping us make a difference in our community. We couldn’t be more grateful!
Challenge Yourself.
Have Fun. Make a Difference.
Fancy doing something brilliant for yourself while supporting the work of Mary Frances Trust?
Whether you’re taking on a half marathon, organising a quiz night, walking for sponsorship or getting creative with a bake sale, there are loads of ways to fundraise for MFT – and you don’t have to do it alone!
Bring your friends, family or colleagues along, choose a challenge that suits you and help raise vital funds for local mental wellbeing support.
Whatever you’re planning, we’re here to help with your fundraising. Get in touch and let’s make it happen!
Mental Health Tip
This issue’s mental health tip is from Nana, our new Community Connections Area Coordinator for Mole Valley.
Journaling
Sometimes our minds can feel overcrowded with thoughts, worries, emotions and everything we need to remember. Journaling can be a simple way to create some mental space. Writing out or typing up your thoughts can help you slow down, make sense of what you’re feeling and notice patterns that may be difficult to recognise when everything is going around in your head.
You don’t need to be a write, and your journal doesn’t have to be perfect – even spending 5 minutes writing freely about what’s on your mind can be a helpful way to pause and reflect.
If you’re not sure where to begin, try asking yourself “what is taking up the most space in my mind today?”. Then simply write without judgement or editing yourself. Sometimes, getting our thoughts out of our heads and on to paper, phones, tablets etc can make them feel a little easier to hold.
