A mental health charity in High Wycombe is celebrating 25 years this year.

Wycombe Mind on Easton Street has been helping people overcome mental health conditions since 1991 and says its aim is to continue to “support and empower” people experiencing “severe and enduring” mental health difficulties.

Since its conception, the charity has raised £4 million and helped more than 5,000 people in the area with mental health issues as well as physical and learning difficulties.

Founders cllr Julia Wassell and Peter Maunder, a former carer, started the organisation as they felt there were not enough community facilities to help vulnerable people around the area.

Ms Wassell, who is the East Wycombe Independent Party councillor for Totteridge, said many of the charity’s founding members had mental health issues themselves and have now gone on to train as mental health professionals to help others in the same position.

She said: “I am delighted that Wycombe Mind has progressed to its 25th anniversary year.

“I feel that a lot has been achieved in High Wycombe; we have had some very innovative projects and have promoted change and improvements in mental health services.”

It received its biggest grant from Comic Relief in 2011 of £133,000.

Speaking about mental health in High Wycombe over the years, she said there had been a “major shift” on public attitudes towards mental health and there is now less discrimination than there was 25 years ago.

She said: “People are now viewed as being able to recover from mental health problems where as previously they were seen as requiring an institution.

“There have been advances in medication but this is now usually seen as a treatment in conjunction with talking therapies and social care.”

According to Ms Wassell, while there have been many closures in mental health services such as the Haleacre Unit at Amersham Hospital, services such as Healthy Minds, an NHS facility that offers access to talking therapies in Bucks, have given people access to new treatments which she says would not have been as “readily available” 25 years ago.

She also said changes to benefits have caused a “great deal of stress” to mental health service users and she wants to see more money invested in mental health to bring it in line with physical health services.

The charity will be holding an event every month this year to celebrate its 25th anniversary, starting with a 24-hour table tennis marathon from 7pm tonight to 7pm tomorrow at its recovery centre in Easton Street, High Wycombe.

To take part, call 01494 448279. For more information, go to http://wycombemind.org.uk.