The Folkestone Haven was established in April 2020 and is funded as a three-year pilot by the NHS and a consortium of Kent based Trusts, including The Roger De Haan Charitable Trust. It is managed by charity, Hestia.

It provides advice for people experiencing a mental health crisis and needing immediate support outside of the hours when other support services are available, operating Mondays to Fridays from 18:00 – 23:00, and at weekends and bank holidays between 12:00 – 23:00.

Initially only able to deliver services by phone, due to COVID 19 restrictions, Folkestone Haven has now been able to introduce face to face support. It is based at The Rainbow Centre, 69 Sandgate Road, Folkestone. It provides specific support across the Folkestone and Hythe district to anyone feeling overwhelmed, stressed or anxious. Customers can drop in without an appointment to speak to a trained Recovery Worker, who will offer a listening ear and mental health support. In addition, recovery workers create a recovery plan with visitors, who can return as often as needed to the Haven. All support is free of charge.

By providing critical support to people in crisis, the Folkestone Haven aims to reduce the number of people accessing A&E departments and decrease pressure on other emergency services, including the police and the ambulance service.

More information can be found at https://www.hestia.org/folkestone-and-hythe-district.