The Windmill Trust is a registered charity established in 2021 in response to the shortage of specialist children’s mental health support in West Cumbria. We provide long-term, trauma-informed creative psychotherapies, including Art Therapy, Play Therapy and Dramatherapy, delivered by HCPC-registered, master’s-level therapists. We work relationally and at the child’s pace with children and young people aged 4-18 (up to 25 if care experienced) who are unable to get help elsewhere, including those affected by multiple Adverse Childhood Experiences, trauma and abuse, severe anxiety, suicidal ideation and issues linked to neurodivergence. Alongside one-to-one and small-group therapy, we offer parent/family support and partner closely with schools and local services so that each child has a strong network of care.
Support from The Pixel Fund will enable us to deliver 1:1 therapy for 20 children and young people who might otherwise go without specialist help. This grant sustains steady, child-led support, creating space for genuine recovery and brighter futures. Our therapists help children express feelings safely, regulate emotions, rebuild trust and re-engage with education and everyday life.
As context, around 1 in 5 children in England had a probable mental disorder in 2023 (NHS Digital, 2023). Locally, referrals to children and young people’s mental health services nearly doubled between 2019 and 2022 (Cumbria Community Foundation/West Cumbria Mental Health Partnership), and many families face barriers linked to deprivation and rurality that delay timely support (West Cumbria: Opportunities & Challenges 2025).
With The Pixel Fund's support, we’re generating therapeutic change for children across West Cumbria.