A mental health crisis haven in Wallsend has seen at least 600 people use it since it opened last year.
The Anchorage, located on Park Road in Wallsend, opened in July last year to help people experiencing mental health crises or distress. The most recent available figures show that the centre has helped 619 people from July 2025 to March 2026.
Funding and services
The centre, funded by the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, offers emotional and practical support for Tyneside locals aged over 18 every day from 2pm to 10pm. The Anchorage also offers help to those suffering from housing and relationship issues, as well as alcohol or substance abuse.
A report from Healthwatch North Tyneside, explaining the need for such a service, states: “Mental health has been a focus of our research and involvement activities since 2016. Many of the themes people tell us about have remained frustratingly consistent – access to support when it is needed, being passed between services, and the availability of high-quality information.”
Establishment and demand
The haven was established with the help of over 130 people with lived experience of mental health crisis. Participants helped identify the location, as well as shape the design of the service.
The centre has seen demand since it first opened. Earlier reporting from ChronicleLive in September 2025 found that the centre had helped 200 people in crisis.
The Anchorage is one of four havens operated within the ICB’s area, with the others located in Ashington, Newcastle, and Whitehaven. The service is provided by Everyturn Mental Health, a non-profit which operates mental health services on behalf of the NHS.
