HARDIES Chartered Surveyors has provided details of its work at The Nook – Scotland’s first national network of walk-in mental health support hubs.
SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) is opening the first of five Nooks in Scotland – the first being in Glasgow. Described as the largest mental health charity initiative in Scotland’s history, The Nook will provide barrier-free access to mental health support. There will be no need to book an appointment, no need for NHS referrals, and no waiting lists.
Hardies has provided project management, quantity surveying, principal design, and architectural services, and also incorporated the expertise of sister firm Shepherd Chartered Surveyors in finding the properties, agreeing leases, and managing property valuation.
The business has helped transform the first two floors of SAMH’s HQ in Glasgow’s city centre into the first Nook to make the space ‘welcoming, accessible and inviting’.
Douglas Smith, managing partner at Hardies, said, “From the minute we met the team at SAMH, it was clear they had a passionate vision of what they were looking to achieve. We knew we had to be involved by supporting this project with our comprehensive range of services from both firms. With the ambitious programme came incredibly tight timescales, and we are delighted to have been able to deliver The Nook in Glasgow to the timescales the client wished for at the outset.”
Jude Deacons, senior programme manager, SAMH, added, “The best decision we made was going with Hardies and Shepherd. From day one they’ve been really invested in the ambition behind The Nook: that people can ask once and get help fast with their mental health. Having them side by side, they supported us all the way through the different junctures and decision-making moments to make this happen.”
Further Nooks are planned for Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverclyde, and Lanarkshire. Each facility will include an outreach programme, helping thousands more people based in surrounding areas.
