Dorset Mind
Dorset Mind is an independently funded UK mental health charity, part of the Mind Federation, delivering counselling, group programmes, drop-ins, and training across Dorset for adults and young people with mild to moderate mental health needs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersBournemouth, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Dorset Mind does
Dorset Mind is a registered mental health charity (charity no. 1108168, company no. 5333018) founded in November 1946 as the Bournemouth Association for Mental Health by psychiatrist Doris Odlum, and now operating as part of the Mind Federation of more than 100 Local Minds across England and Wales. Despite national affiliation, it is independently funded and locally controlled, relying on donations, legacies, fundraising events, and corporate partnerships to deliver services across the county of Dorset in southwest England.
The organisation's portfolio spans adult services (18+) and young people services (10-25). Adult services include 1:1 Counselling, Mentoring Minds, Active Monitoring, a GP-embedded Triage Service, and a range of group programmes covering LGBTQIA+ (MindOut, Mindful Rainbow), men (Men in Mind), women (Women in Mind), sports-linked support (Football in Mind with AFCB Community Sports Trust), and general wellbeing. Young People services include 1:1s, Active Monitoring, Purbeck-focused counselling, group programmes, and Connected Minds, an 8-week early-intervention programme for 10-13 year-olds. The Waiting Well programme targets young people on NHS waiting lists. Delivery channels include community Front Rooms and The Retreat venues (Bournemouth, Dorchester, Bridport, Shaftesbury, Wareham, Weymouth), GP surgeries, university drop-ins (Bournemouth University), and online/virtual sessions.
Dorset Mind is a self-funded charity that does not publicly disclose revenue. Its income mix comprises individual donations (one-off, monthly, text-to-donate, legacies), community fundraising (BIG Walk, Ultra Challenge, Dragon Boat Race, Plane Pull, Skydive), corporate sponsorships, NHS commissioning (notably the Access Wellbeing programme with five charity partners), and a training directory of recommended third-party providers offering Mental Health First Aid and related courses. The charity reports supporting more than 22,000 people annually, operates with 11-50 staff under CEO Linda O'Sullivan and a Board of Trustees, and is assessed triennially against Mind Federation standards.
Dorset Mind firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dorset Mind
- Legal name
- Dorset Mind
- Website
- https://dorsetmind.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Dorset Mind is an independently funded UK mental health charity, part of the Mind Federation, delivering counselling, group programmes, drop-ins, and training across Dorset for adults and young people with mild to moderate mental health needs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dorset Mind industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mental Health Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mind-Body Wellness Coaching (Holistic/Integrative) (HSADAGAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Guided Meditation Instruction (1:1 & Group) (HSADAJAA), Meditation Retreats, Workshops & Immersive Programs (HSADAJAF), Trauma-Informed Mindfulness & Somatic Mind-Body Practices (HSADAJAI), Mindfulness, Meditation & Stress Management Education (EDAAAHAD)
Keywords
Where Dorset Mind is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bournemouth
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Dorset Mind business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations: Charitable donations from individuals supporting mental health services in Dorset. Multiple giving options including one-time donations, regular monthly giving (DMREGULAR text campaign), and text-to-donate (DORSETMIND to 70460).
- Fundraising Events: Income generated through organised fundraising events including The Dorset Mind BIG Walk, Ultra Challenge Series, Dragon Boat Race, Plane Pull, Skydive, and online fundraising campaigns.
- Training Services: Corporate training services including Mental Health First Aid, Managing Stress, Anxiety & Burnout, and other workplace wellbeing programmes delivered through recommended third-party trainers.
- Legacies and Wills: Legacy gifts and bequests left in supporters' wills to provide long-term sustainable funding.
- Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorship and partnership income from local businesses supporting specific services, events, or operational costs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free access to core mental health support services for adults and young people in Dorset |
| Subscription | Monthly | Donation options for supporters |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
Dorset Mind product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dorset Mind is a registered mental health charity that delivers community-based mental wellbeing services across Dorset, England. Its core offering includes 1:1 counselling, mentoring, group support, drop-in services, and Active Monitoring programmes for adults and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health challenges. The charity is independently funded through donations, fundraising, and grants, and operates as a Local Mind within the national Mind Federation network.
Product overview
Dorset Mind is a mental health charity providing a comprehensive portfolio of support services across Dorset, England. The organization offers Adult Services (18+) including individual 121 support through Mentoring Minds, Counselling, Active Monitoring, and Triage Services, plus group programs such as Active in Mind, MindOut LGBTQIA+, Mindful Rainbow, Wellbeing in Mind, Men in Mind, Women in Mind, and Football in Mind. Young People Services (ages 10-25) include 121 sessions, YP Active Monitoring, Counselling, group support, and Connected Minds - an 8-week early intervention programme. Additional services include Access Wellbeing (free drop-in support), Urgent Help resources, a Resources Hub, Training Directory, and community initiatives like Chatty Benches. The charity is part of the Mind Federation network but is independently funded through local donations and fundraising.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Adult Services
- Young People Services
- Access Wellbeing
- Waiting Well Programme
- Urgent Help Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 450 young people supported through Waiting Well programme
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Dorset Mind
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Dorset Mind technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Dorset Mind partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Dorset TeacoreDorset Mind partnered with Dorset Tea to create the Chatty Bench project, with Dorset Tea creating and sponsoring the first Liam's Bench at Furzy Cliff in Weymouth. The partnership aims to create a community where living with and talking about mental health becomes acceptable for everyone.
- NHS DorsetcoreAccess Wellbeing is delivered through a partnership between the NHS and five charity partners including BCHA, Help & Care, The Lantern Trust, Harmony, and Dorset Mind. NHS provides funding and strategic oversight while Dorset Mind manages services in North Dorset.
- BCHAcoreOne of five charity partners in the Access Wellbeing programme delivering mental health drop-in services across Dorset.
- Help & CarecoreOne of five charity partners in the Access Wellbeing programme delivering mental health drop-in services across Dorset.
- The Lantern TrustcoreOne of five charity partners in the Access Wellbeing programme delivering mental health drop-in services across Dorset.
- HarmonycoreOne of five charity partners in the Access Wellbeing programme delivering mental health drop-in services across Dorset.
- AFCB Community Sports TrustcorePartnership to deliver Men in Mind and Football in Mind programmes offering FREE physical activities at Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth. Sessions are open to adults 18+ and provide mental health support through sports.
- Purbeck Youth and Community Foundation (PYCF)coreDorset Mind is working with PYCF to provide face-to-face counselling for young people aged 11-18 living or going to school in Purbeck.
- Maidmans Moving and StorageminorMaidmans Moving and Storage generously donated vans and staff for the Christmas Tree Collection fundraiser in BCP area, helping collect and recycle unwanted trees after Christmas.
- Upton Specialised Tree ServicesminorPartnered for Christmas Tree Collection to help recycle trees, providing specialist tree services expertise for the fundraiser.
- Dorset Coast WillsminorDorset Coast Wills partnered with Dorset Mind for the Free Wills Campaign, offering free will-writing services to supporters during November and December.
- Bournemouth UniversitycoreUniversity Retreat provides a drop-in service for students from Bournemouth University, Arts University Bournemouth, and AECC University College. Located at Tolpuddle Annexe 2, Talbot Campus.
- Local Businesses and OrganisationsminorCorporate partners sponsor specific services, community events, training sessions, or make in-kind donations to support Dorset Mind's work across Dorset.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Dorset Mind competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Anxiety UK: UK charity providing counselling, therapy, and peer support specifically for anxiety disorders. Provides similar 1:1 and group mental health services plus corporate training (anxiety management, wellbeing). Comparable in service scope and target audience (mild-to-moderate need).
- YoungMinds: UK charity focused exclusively on young people's mental health, providing resources, training, and the Activate programme for under-25s. Strongly comparable to Dorset Mind's Young People Services (Connected Minds, YP 121s, Counselling) and represents the national benchmarking peer for that vertical.
- Solent Mind: A fellow Local Mind in the Solent/Hampshire region that shares office space with Dorset Mind (registered office c/o Solent Mind). Provides counselling, groups, and workplace training across Hampshire - the most direct geographic and operational peer for benchmarking service mix and revenue model.
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight Mind: Another Local Mind federation member serving an adjacent county. Operates a near-identical model of local fundraising, NHS partnerships, adult and young people services, and corporate training. Closest structural peer for evaluating federation scalability and income trajectories.
Broad incumbents
- NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): The US equivalent of the Mind Federation network, with state and local affiliates providing community mental health services, support groups, and education. Highly comparable federated model with local chapters operating under national standards - mirrors the Mind Federation structure that Dorset Mind belongs to.
- Together for Mental Wellbeing: National UK charity providing community mental health services, recovery-focused support, and peer-led programmes. Comparable service mix (1:1 support, groups, drop-ins) with broader geographic reach, representing a potential strategic partner or expanded peer for Dorset Mind.
- Mental Health Foundation: UK charity focused on mental health research, prevention, and public education. Operates the peer-support and workplace programmes broadly comparable to Dorset Mind's corporate training and Resources Hub. Represents a complementary research and policy peer.
- Mind (National Association for Mental Health): The national UK mental health charity of which Dorset Mind is a Local Mind affiliate. Mind provides national brand standards, campaigning, and information resources while 100+ Local Minds (including Dorset Mind) deliver local services. Direct peer comparison as the parent federation member organisation.
- Rethink Mental Illness: A larger UK mental health charity providing community services, advocacy, and supported housing across England. Comparable in mission and service delivery (counselling, group support, peer mentoring) but significantly larger in scale and influence, representing a benchmark for what a growing Dorset Mind could become.
Emerging players
- Charlie Waller Trust: UK charity focused on young people's mental health, providing free training and resources for schools and early-intervention programmes. Strongly comparable to Dorset Mind's Connected Minds 8-week early intervention programme and the Waiting Well programme for young people.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dorset Mind social profiles
Digital presenceDorset Mind financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dorset Mind leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Dorset Mind funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dorset Mind M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dorset Mind
What does Dorset Mind do?
Dorset Mind is a registered mental health charity that delivers community-based mental wellbeing services across Dorset, England. Its core offering includes 1:1 counselling, mentoring, group support, drop-in services, and Active Monitoring programmes for adults and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health challenges. The charity is independently funded through donations, fundraising, and grants, and operates as a Local Mind within the national Mind Federation network.
Is Dorset Mind a public or private company?
Dorset Mind is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Dorset Mind founded?
Dorset Mind was founded in 1946. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Dorset Mind based?
Dorset Mind is headquartered in Bournemouth, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Dorset Mind make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are fundraising Events, training Services, legacies and Wills and corporate Partnerships.
Who are Dorset Mind's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Anxiety UK, YoungMinds, Solent Mind and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Mind. Broad incumbents are NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), Together for Mental Wellbeing, Mental Health Foundation, Mind (National Association for Mental Health) and Rethink Mental Illness. Charlie Waller Trust is listed as an emerging player.
Does Dorset Mind have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dorset Mind.
What industry is Dorset Mind in?
Dorset Mind's product category is Mental Health Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSADAGAG, Mind-Body Wellness Coaching (Holistic/Integrative), with a secondary code of HSADAJAA, Guided Meditation Instruction (1:1 & Group). Its NAICS code is 621330 and its SIC code is 8300.