A MENTAL health initiative set up in memory of a Meirionnydd teenager who took his own life has received a financial boost.

Llanfair-based Josh’s Tree House Project, received a £450 grant in Police Mutual’s national community sponsorship programme, Force for Good.

Community support officer and former special constable, Shannon-Louise Llwyd-Hopcroft, nominated Josh’s Tree House Project, which was set up by her parents Sue and Dion, after her brother Josh killed himself in March 2016.

Josh’s Tree House Project is a non-profitable charity that will offer private counselling sessions, group discussions, bereavement sessions and educational talks about suicide prevention, all set in a ‘tree house’ cabin.

Shannon said: “We want to make Josh proud and help other people who are in the same situation that he was in.

“He didn’t open up about his problems so our hope is that by promoting suicide awareness and showing people that it’s OK to talk, we can recognise the signs and hopefully prevent future suicides.

“Police Mutual’s Force for Good grant will help to pay for materials for the tree house build, plants and flowers for a memorial garden or to pay a therapist or councillor to come in for a session.”

Stephen Mann, chief executive of Police Mutual, added: “Improving the lives of the police family is central to everything we do at Police Mutual, and a key part of this is community wellbeing.

“Force for Good was introduced as a way for our members and those connected with the wider police family to assist local projects and causes.

“When this is serving or retired police officers, they have often come to know the initiative through their policing work, meaning that we are providing them with a chance to help improve the communities in which they work.

“It is a great honour to be able to support so many good causes that really do make tangible differences to the communities they serve, up and down the country.”