Friends of The Sanctuary Fund 

About the Fund

The Friends of The Sanctuary Fund is designed to break down barriers and make the activities of the Sanctuary available and accessible to adults of all ages and abilities, with a particular emphasis on people who are going through a vulnerable period in their life. This Fund is supported by our Friends of The Sanctuary Membership. 

Elements of the Funds

• Online Community Sessions: The rising need for mental health support is evident in the unprecedent response to our online services. There are over 10,000 people registered for our free online and onsite community meditation sessions and each week we support and help sustain the wellbeing of over 500 people who attend these free community meditation sessions. We receive consistent feedback that these sessions reduce isolation and provide an accessible community that acts as a refuge to many.
• Befriending Service: Part of our Friends of the Sanctuary Programme, the Befrienders, is a group of volunteers who wish to extend the hand of friendship to others by carrying out regular visits to people living in the Dublin 7 area who are experiencing social exclusion and mental health difficulties.
• Turn No One Away: As part of our programme we have been able to adopt a Turn No One Away policy which enables those who might be going through a difficult time, either financially or struggling with, illness, unemployment, and/or suffering or recovering from mental illness, addiction, homelessness or disability, to have access to all of our services including our Programmes, Courses and Workshops.
• Gardening: We have set aside the last Friday of each month for garden volunteers to work as part of a group.  How the volunteer day works in practice is that a core group of 3-5 people turn up, most of these have some horticultural experience and some in fact work as gardeners.  Often other people join the core group and they are very welcome. If you are interested in joining our monthly Garden Volunteering Day please get in touch. 

Aims of the Fund

• Be a welcoming place for all, respecting whatever background or situation they may be coming from, without individuals accessing it being labelled.
• Offer a place of stillness to those going through vulnerable periods in their lives.
• Offer guided meditation and giving a taste of Sanctuary activities.
• Provide participants with new experiences and the opportunity to mix with people outside their own circle and from all walks of life.
• The fund is a bridge to evening/weekend courses and workshops and our longer programs in the Sanctuary.
• People attending are encouraged to continue their contact with the Sanctuary after they are back on their feet. 

For further information, please contact: Carol – operations@sanctuary.ie