Bromley, Lewisham and Greenwich (BLG) Mind has announced that it is planning to merge with Lambeth and Southwark Mind (LSM) in the new year.
The local mental health charities said that becoming a single, larger organisation would allow them to offer “an extensive range of mental health and dementia services” across the five London boroughs.
The merger, which has not yet been formalised and is expected to be completed on 1 January 2024, would not affect the services currently provided by both charities.
BLG Mind currently employs around 200 staff while LSM has 15. A spokesperson for BLG told Civil Society that all LSM’s employees would transfer across to BLG Mind.
Ben Taylor, chief executive of BLG Mind, will be leading the new organisation while Alastair Smith-Agbaje, who leads LSM, has secured a position to lead another charity in Lambeth and will soon be taking up that role.
Taylor said: “Joining forces with LSM will be positive for everyone involved.
“We firmly believe that merging will create a stronger organisation, meaning that we can reach a growing number of people and ensure they receive the support and respect they deserve.”
Accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022 show that BLG Mind has an income of £5.4m and LSM an income of £512,000.
Both charities are part of a network of more than 100 local Minds across England and Wales.
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