Welcome to Time for Health!

Welcome to Time for Health: Our Story, Our Mission, and Why We Started Hello, and welcome to the Time for Health blog! My name is Elizabeth Mee, and I am the founder of Time for Health. I created this charity because I believe that everyone should have access to wellbeing support, regardless of their financial circumstances, background, or personal challenges. Our mission is simple: to make health and wellbeing accessible to all. Why Time for Health Matters The need for accessible wellbeing support has never been greater. Mental health challenges are becoming increasingly common across the UK. According to NHS England, around one in four adults experiences a diagnosable mental health problem each year, making mental ill health one of the leading causes of disability in the UK. Recent data also shows that mental health conditions are becoming more prevalent. In England, 22.6% of adults aged 16-64 were found to have a common mental health condition in 2023/24, compared with 18.9% in 2014. Among young adults aged 16-24, the figure has risen to more than one in four people. At the same time, many people struggle to access support when they need it. Analysis of NHS data in 2025 found that people were eight times more likely to wait longer than 18 months for mental health treatment than for physical health treatment. For those unable to access timely NHS support, private alternatives are often expensive and out of reach. Counselling and therapy sessions can cost hundreds or even thousands of pounds over the course of treatment, creating significant barriers for individuals already facing financial hardship, unemployment, disability, caring responsibilities, or other life challenges. These barriers mean that many people who could benefit from wellbeing activities, counselling, mindfulness programmes, or community support are unable to access them. Time for Health was created in response to these challenges. We believe that well-being should not depend on a person’s income or circumstances. We aim to help remove barriers to support providing accessible, inclusive, and affordable opportunities that improve mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing within our communities. How the Idea Came About The idea for Time for Health developed from my own experiences and observations of the challenges many people face when trying to access support for their wellbeing. I am a recent law graduate who has had the privilege of volunteering with the Windrush Justice Clinic and the Westminster Legal Advice Clinic. Through these roles, I worked with individuals facing a wide range of challenges, including financial hardship, housing difficulties, employment issues, immigration concerns, and the emotional impact that these circumstances can have on a person’s wellbeing. These experiences gave me valuable insight into the realities many people face every day. I saw firsthand how stress, uncertainty, isolation, and poor mental health can affect individuals and families, often making it even harder for them to overcome the challenges they are experiencing. In addition, through my involvement with Cheshire Arts for Health, a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving wellbeing through creative and community-based activities, I witnessed the positive impact that accessible wellbeing support can have on people’s lives. I saw how opportunities for connection, creativity, mindfulness, and personal development could improve confidence, reduce isolation, and support overall wellbeing. However, I also became aware that many people are unable to access these kinds of services. Whether due to financial barriers, long waiting times, a lack of local provision, or other personal circumstances, too many individuals are left without the support they need to thrive. These experiences inspired me to create Time for Health. I wanted to establish an organisation that could help bridge the gap by providing accessible wellbeing opportunities to those who may otherwise be excluded from them. What began as an idea soon developed into a vision: a charity that would make health and wellbeing support more accessible, build stronger communities, and help people improve their quality of life regardless of their circumstances. Looking Ahead Although Time for Health is still in its early stages, we have already taken important steps forward, including submitting our application to the Charity Commission and beginning preparations for our first fundraising event. We hope to be able to provide a minimum of two community events from the funds raised from this event. This is only the beginning of our journey, and we are excited about the future. Through this blog, we will be sharing updates on our progress, fundraising activities, events, and the impact we hope to create. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about Time for Health. We look forward to sharing this journey with you and working towards a future where wellbeing support is accessible to everyone.