Through bringing ‘Not A Statistic Northeast’ sessions to Sunderland we hoped we could provide safe spaces for people to openly discuss their Mental Health problems, What we actually did was provide those safe spaces for people to connect and create a community for them and others to share their stories and progress in combating the reason that brought them to our sessions in the first instance. From problems with Ex's, or the loss of loved ones or anxiety in making friends to all of the above. 

“Sometimes we can only find our true direction when we let the 

wind of change carry us.” —Mimi Novic 

We at ‘Not A Statistic NE’ have surpassed even our earliest expectations of what we could provide, and you best believe we have just started. “Mighty Oaks from little acorns grow” and all that. 

We are determined to provide more safe spaces for people to connect and experience the power of being part of our sessions. to quote one attendee. "Isn't it mad how happy we all are compared to when we all met for the first time." 

Often people forget that most problems can't be fixed by a cup of tea and some posh biscuits. But try and tell me when it's free to boot it doesn't lighten your mood a little bit. And that's the real secret of ‘Not A Statistic NE’ we can't fix every problem, but we'll happily help you plan, we will be in your corner till the problem resolves and long after it’s a distant memory. 

This sounds a lot more like a mission statement than I'm comfortable with so how about we give you some feedback our participants have given us over the past year. Apologies in advance, there are quite a few requests for strippers. Thanks Dave ;) 

Over 5 weeks we carried out anonymous exit surveys from attendees at our sessions at The Beacon. These insights help us improve, adapt, and ensure we’re providing the best possible support. Here’s what we learned: 

How easy was it to find our session? 

✅ 76% of respondents said it was easy to find us. 

⚠️ 24% found it difficult—mainly on a night when a Gala event forced us to use an alternative entrance. 

👉 Action: To prevent confusion, we’ve decided to cancel sessions on nights when large events or Gala nights are happening at The Beacon, similar to our matchday cancellations. 

Did tonight meet your expectations? 

❌ 16% said no, but unfortunately, we didn’t include a follow-up question to understand why. 

👉 Action: Moving forward, we’ll be checking in more regularly with attendees to ensure we’re meeting expectations and capturing constructive feedback. 

Would you recommend attending one of our sessions? 

🎉 100% of respondents said YES! Even among those whose expectations weren’t fully met, everyone would still recommend our sessions. That’s a huge win! 

Is there anything we could do differently? 

From "Strippers" (we’ll take that as a joke! 😆) to "Can the lighting be adjusted? It’s too bright," we received a mix of responses. Shoutout to Leanne—someone specifically mentioned she did a fantastic job setting up the tables! 

💡 60% of respondents said “nothing” or “no changes.” We’ll take that as a win, but we’re always striving to improve! 

Recently, we asked attendees to complete a short survey. While we only had three respondents, their feedback still paints a powerful picture of what our peer support sessions mean to them. 

How often do you attend our support group sessions? 

✅ All three attend weekly and have been with us for over a year. This tells us that our sessions aren’t just meetings, they’ve become a part of their routine, just as they’ve become a part of ours. 

What do you find most valuable about our peer support sessions? 

💬 “I like the dynamic. How relaxed it is and how Owen and Shane bounce off each other.” 

💬 “Being able to talk about similar things and just...”(The person didn’t complete this comment. 🙁) 

💬 “Meeting new people and sharing our stories.” 

Still don’t know who said this about Owen but, he’s going to get a big head like! 

How have our peer support group sessions impacted your life? 

💙 "I’m still here." 

💙 "Makes me feel I don't always have to put on a brave face." 

💙 "It has given me the drive to move forward with my life and keep my head where my feet are." 

These responses are everything we strive for at Not A Statistic Northeast CIC. If we can help just one person, that’s enough—but what if we can help thousands? 

That’s our mission. That’s why we keep going. 

We would like to thank every single person who attended our sessions and a special shout out to the people who doubted us. Eat those apples b@#£h. 

💙 Be Part of the Change 💙

Not A Statistic Northeast isn’t just a support group—it’s a movement. A community. A family. We’ve created something truly special, and we’re only just getting started.

If you’ve ever felt alone, if you’ve ever needed a space where you can just be yourself—this is it. And if you want to help others find that space, we need you.

🚀 Volunteer with us. Your time and energy could make all the difference.
📧 Email us at info@not-a-statistic-ne.org and be part of something that truly matters.

Because together, we are stronger. 💙