“These are services that are not only life-changing but, in some circumstances, life-saving as well,” said Emma Turner, as Mind opened its new Croydon counselling centre in South Croydon this week.
The charity recently relocated from its long-standing Pampisford Road site in Purley, where it had been based since 1967. Over recent months, Orchard House on Purley Road in South Croydon has been transformed from a warehouse into a modern, welcoming space.
It now houses five purpose-built counselling suites, alongside offices and communal areas designed to feel accessible and supportive.
The move represents a significant upgrade from the previous Pampisford Road building, which Mind left after the lease expired and the council sold the building as part of its asset disposal programme. The building has not yet been sold and is currently being prepared for the market.
However, according to counsellors at Thursday’s opening event (March 19), the old building had become increasingly unsuitable. Mind counsellor Suzanne Scott told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “The Pampisford Road building was falling apart; it was in a pretty dire situation.”
She added that the old layout created challenges for both staff and clients. “It was open and took away their personal space,” she said, highlighting the benefits of the new, more private environment.
Before cutting the ribbon, Croydon Mind CEO Emma Turner told a full crowd: “We moved a whole building from Purley.”
She added: “Moving all the history of the organisation into a new building is a massive undertaking, but here we are and we have managed to do it.”
The process began during February half term last year and involved securing planning permission, funding and contractors before the move from the Victorian building that had housed services for 58 years.
Ms Turner stressed that the new centre reflects what service users had asked for. “We had to move five counselling rooms, a space for staff, a space for people to sit, and it has got to feel welcoming and accessible.”
Each counselling room is named after a tree and has been carefully designed with clients in mind. The spaces are described as “warm, cosy and safe”, with soundproofing, comfortable chairs and sensory lighting, including low-light options for neurodivergent people.
Also in attendance was Croydon Mayor Jason Perry, who welcomed the development. He called it “a great example of how, by pooling their resources, they have created something better”.
Demand for mental health services continues to rise sharply. Ms Scott said that when she first started at Mind, there was a three-month waiting list; however, she added that this has since increased, with around 400 people currently waiting.
Ms Turner told the LDRS that the need for local mental health services “has never been greater”. In 2024/25, Mind supported over 15,000 unique individuals, representing a 57% increase on the previous year.
She added: “We know there is a challenging funding picture locally, from our NHS commissioners and our local authority (Croydon Council).”
These pressures contributed to the closure of the Centre 70 counselling service in December, putting further strain on local provision.
Dr Sarah Hughes said: “Mental health has always been the Cinderella, the poor relation… funding is the slowest to arrive.”
She added that demand is rising, particularly among young people and those from minority communities.
Despite this, Dr Hughes also reflected on how far mental health provision has come since she joined the profession over 30 years ago. “When I first started working in mental health, Mind would deliver services out the back of canal boats and in cupboards,” she said.
Praising the new centre, she added: “Places like this, where people walk in and feel valued, respected, cared for and loved, are what will make the change they need.”
Mind offers low-cost counselling and aims to make access as straightforward as possible. “The criteria is not strict; we get people in as easily as we can,” Ms Scott explained, with self-referred clients able to access 12 sessions and, after a six-month break, return for a further six if needed.
In addition to one-to-one counselling, the centre runs a range of group sessions, including mindfulness and carers’ groups, as well as online support via Zoom. The charity shares the building with Hear Us, a mental health advocacy organisation.
For those considering reaching out, Ms Scott said that people should access their services “when they are ready”.
“We can help people manage their emotions, provide space to be heard, offload, be validated, to grow and make different choices,” she said.
To find out more about what Mind in Croydon can do to help, visit the group’s website.
