STAFF at a building society in Braintree came together to hold a drop-in session for people struggling with mental health.

Workers at the town’s Nationwide branch hosted the 'Friendly Finance' session in a bid to demystify personal finance.

It took place at A Place To Be You, at Corner House in Fairfield Road, and helped people with free, simple advice on budgeting, how to avoid scams and the basics of personal finance. 

Research from the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute has found people who have experienced mental health problems are three times more likely to have been scammed.

This is according to a report titled “Caught in the Web”, published in December 2020.

A Place To Be You opened in October to help people in the community needing mental health support before they reach a crisis point. 

It is intended as a safe space to socialise or get involved with activities.

These include meditation, crochet and classes offering advice on how to cope when times get tough.

The hub also features a community pantry where people can donate or take food. 

The team plans to host their Friendly Finance table on a monthly basis at the hub, with the next session planned for March 7.

Donna Hough, from Nationwide, said: “It was a great experience popping into A Place To Be You today for the first Friendly Finance session. 

“Nationwide offers everyone who works for them two days’ a year paid volunteering time, which is really useful and lets us help out with community activities like this one. I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone next month too.”