A Hitchin-based charity has received £20,000 in funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.

Growing Resilience in Teens (GRIT) supports young people aged 11-24 in Hertfordshire who are facing mental health difficulties.

They use a unique coaching approach called the Four Corners Method, which includes non-contact boxing, boxing metaphor and coaching concepts, to teach valuable life skills such as goal setting, problem solving, resilience and confidence.

At a time when pressure on traditional treatment routes - such as CAMHS - is growing, GRIT aim to deliver early intervention to de-escalate debilitating symptoms and behaviours.

They deliver their services in schools, through one-to-one and group coaching sessions, and in a 12-week after school programme at Elite Gym in Hitchin.

Schools they support in North Hertfordshire include The Priory, Hitchin Boys', Hitchin Girls', The Knights Templar, Fearnhill and The Highfield.

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The Lottery funding will be used to ensure the continuity of their service, and to increase awareness of their offering, widening their services to additional areas, and bringing in new staff to support these objectives.

GRIT supported 386 young people over 2022/23, and are projecting a 50 per cent increase to 580 young people for 2024. 

Speaking after the funding award, Rebecca Kelly, GRIT's CEO, said: "Securing this £20,000 grant from the National Lottery Community Fund is a monumental step forward for GRIT.

"This funding will not only ensure the sustainability of our current programmes and services but also allow us to expand our reach, bringing essential mental health support to even more young people in our community.

"With the ongoing challenges faced by traditional mental health services, our work in providing early intervention and support is more crucial than ever.

"We're incredibly grateful for this support from the National Lottery and excited to continue our mission of empowering young people to take responsibility for the life they wish to lead."