New Horizons Borders

New Horizons Borders rose as a result of the need to provide facilities that were independent and beyond the confines of conventional mental health services. It was founded by Bill Bell and other interested people in 1993 and received charitable status in July 1994.

We provide meeting places across the Borders on a drop-in basis where members provide mutual support and help, as well as the chance to develop friendships.Through this informal group activity, members are also given the opportunity by collective advocacy to be involved in challenging the issues faced by people in the local community who suffer mental ill health and play an active role in contributing to the planning of mental health services in the Borders. Our goal is to help ease the struggle of social isolation by bringing people together and believing in a right to live without harassment and discrimination in the community.

Self help, perceived as part of the healing and recovery process, in turn re-empowers members both individually and collectively, hence our declaration:

"We empower each other through self-help, mutual support and, at the same time raise public awareness by challenging public and professional assumptions and ensuring we are respected as individual in our own right"