A volunteer at a west Cumbrian mental health support group has opened up on how helping others changed his life.

Gary Austin, 25, has been volunteering at Healthy Hopes - operating in Whitehaven - for 18 months now.

However, he first came to the sessions two years ago for support with his own mental health.

"I was in a cloud of hopelessness," said Gary

"Back at school, I was happy-go-lucky. I was chirpy and a bit of a wind-up merchant.

"But in the years ahead, I started to struggle more and my mental health came over me like a dark cloud.

"It took over and I deteriorated rapidly."

Whilst struggling with depression and anxiety, Gary was directed to Healthy Hopes Cumbria.

He admitted being apprehensive before his first session, but he soon found his feet.

Gary said: “At first I was dead quiet and nervous and then I came out of my shell. I’ve made friends for life at Healthy Hopes.

“By going to more sessions, its improved my confidence around other people.

“At first I was a bit apprehensive about [going to] it, but I thought ‘I’ve got nothing to loose, and I’ll go and see how it is’.

“I haven’t looked back since."

The Covid-19 pandemic was a big set back for Gary, who said he lost a lot of his volunteering opportunities and one of his biggest passions - football.

Gary, who used to volunteer at the Workington Reds by working on the turnstiles and selling match day programmes, said: "I talked to everybody down there. It was a big part of my life and it was a massive shame [that it stopped].

"It was absolutely devastating to loose it all.

"You don't realise the impact it has until it has gone. You feel like you've lost your left arm because without football there's a feeling of emptiness and it leaves a massive hole in your life.

Healthy Hopes also operate in Wigton, Cockermouth, Maryport, and Workington, and are planning to start sessions in Carlisle once lockdown restrictions ease.

Gary said volunteering offered him a new lease of life and helped him to cope with his own struggle.

He added: "You're helping others, but you're also helping yourself and boosting your own self-esteem.

"It's been an eye-opener for me.

"I was at a bit of a cross roads two or three years ago. I had no direction of where I wanted to go in my life.

"When I started volunteering at Healthy Hopes it brought me out of my shell and I'm enjoying the stability of having something to look forward to throughout the week.

"It's improved me as a person."

For more information on Healthy Hopes, visit their website at www.healthyhopes.co.uk, or phone 07763 152529.