Changes East Lothian

What Changes East Lothian does

Changes East Lothian, legally 'Changes Community Health Project', is a registered Scottish charity (SC025130) and company limited by guarantee (Company Number 230098) founded in 1996 and headquartered at 1st Floor, Stuart House, Eskmills, Station Road, Musselburgh. The charity delivers free, confidential, non-judgmental mental health and wellbeing support to adults aged 18+ living or registered with a GP in East Lothian, organised around three integrated service pillars: Activities (yoga, swimming, cycling, walking, music and creative groups), Wellbeing Support (peer groups, befriending, Men's Support Group, ADHD Support Group, Relaxation Workshops and one-to-one support), and Therapy (short-term counselling up to 8 sessions, therapy courses such as Compassion Focused Therapy and Building Self Esteem, and groups including Nature Therapy and ADHD Nature Therapy). It also runs mental health training programmes (SMHFA, ASIST, safeTALK, CHAT) and operates a volunteer counselling service with trainee placements. Delivery is hybrid — face-to-face at multiple East Lothian venues, plus telephone and video — supported by a self-referral website portal, social media channels (Facebook @ChangesEL, X @Changes_CHP, Instagram @changeseastlothian), a Kit.com email newsletter, and JustGiving/EasyFundraising donation infrastructure.

The underlying technology is standard non-profit infrastructure: a WordPress-based website (changeschp.org.uk) with online interest registration forms, email and phone intake, and an internal client database, with no proprietary AI, app, API or SDK components disclosed. Services are free at the point of use, with no pricing tiers or billing cadence. Income is composed of restricted grants from the National Lottery, NHS Lothian, East Lothian Council, the National Lottery Fairer Lives Community Fund, CORRA Foundation and other charitable trusts, supplemented by unrestricted individual donations and EasyFundraising affiliate contributions. Approximately 10 paid staff (CEO, Development Manager, Training Coordinator, Financial Administrator, Volunteer Recruitment Officer, Administrator/Wellbeing Coordinator, peer support and therapy staff, plus media and administrative roles) operate alongside a substantial volunteer workforce ranging from age 16 to 70+, supported by clinical supervision through an NHS Lothian partnership.

Name

Changes East Lothian

Legal name

Changes Community Health Project

Website

https://changeschp.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Changes East Lothian is a Musselburgh-based Scottish charity (founded 1996) delivering free, confidential mental health and wellbeing services — activities, wellbeing support, and therapy — to adults aged 18+ in East Lothian, funded by grants and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mental Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)

Keywords

• Mental health charity
• Community wellbeing services
• Counselling services
• Suicide prevention training
• Befriending support

Headquarters

HQ city

Musselburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Funding and Grants: Funded by National Lottery, NHS Lothian, East Lothian Council, and other charitable trusts to provide free mental health services to the community.
2. Donations: Individual donations and fundraising contributions provide unrestricted funds that help cover everyday costs and allow the organization to allocate resources where needed most.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Changes East Lothian is a community mental health charity that provides free, confidential, non-judgmental therapy, counselling, wellbeing support, activities, befriending, and mental health training to adults living or registered with a GP in East Lothian, Scotland. Services are delivered across three pillars — Therapy, Wellbeing Support, and Activities — alongside suicide prevention training (MHFA, ASIST, safeTALK, CHAT) and a volunteer programme, all funded through charitable grants and donations.

Product overview

Changes East Lothian is a mental health charity offering a unified portfolio of free support services to adults in East Lothian. The organization operates three integrated service pillars: (1) Activities — nature-based and fitness programs including yoga, swimming, cycling, and creative groups; (2) Wellbeing Support — peer groups, befriending, and 1-to-1 support for mental health challenges; and (3) Therapy — short-term counselling, therapy courses (Compassion Focused Therapy, Building Self Esteem), and groups (Nature Therapy, ADHD Nature Therapy, Surf Therapy). Additionally, the organization provides mental health training programs (MHFA, ASIST, safeTALK, CHAT) and operates a volunteer counselling service with trainee placements. All services are free and accessible to adults living or registered with a GP in East Lothian.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Therapy Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Free services for all adults in East Lothian with no cost barrier to access mental health support
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Scottish Seabird CentresupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership for nature-based wellbeing activities and programmes, running joint events and outdoor therapy sessions.
• NHS LothiancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with NHS psychological therapies service for group therapy coordination and clinical supervision of therapists.
• East Lothian Health & Social Care Partnership (ELHSCP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth and social care partnership supporting integrated mental health services in East Lothian.
• Volunteer Centre East LothiansupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVolunteer recruitment partnership through which volunteer opportunities are regularly publicised.
• Paths for AllsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting walking and outdoor activity programmes for health and wellbeing.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mind (UK): UK's largest mental health charity providing information, support, local services, and campaigning. Overlaps broadly with Changes' mental health and wellbeing mission, though operates at much greater scale and as a national federation of local Minds.
• SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health): Scotland's largest mental health charity, providing information, support, and services across the country. Directly comparable in mission (mental health and wellbeing support) but operates at national scale rather than a single council region like Changes.
• Penumbra: Scottish mental health charity delivering recovery-focused support services including one-to-one, group work, and accommodation-based support across multiple regions. Overlaps directly with Changes' therapy, wellbeing, and community support model but at significantly greater geographic and operational scale.

Direct peers

• Health in Mind: Scottish mental health charity offering free counselling, therapy, and wellbeing courses across Edinburgh and the Lothians. Highly comparable in service model — free therapy, courses, peer support, training — and serves a population immediately adjacent to Changes' East Lothian catchment.
• Scottish Mental Health Foundation: Scottish mental health charity focused on prevention, early intervention, and wellbeing promotion through training, resources, and community programmes. Strongly comparable to Changes' training pillar (MHFA, ASIST, safeTALK) and community wellbeing focus.
• Support in Mind Scotland: National Scottish mental health charity providing one-to-one support, group activities, and self-management resources for people with mental health problems. Closest comparable in mission, free-service model, and community-based delivery — overlapping heavily with Changes' Therapy and Wellbeing Support pillars.
• See Me (Scotland's mental health anti-stigma programme): Scotland's programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination, run by a partnership of mental health charities. Comparable mission to Changes' awareness and community engagement work, with overlapping funder base (Scottish Government, NHS).

Regional players

• Penumbra Mental Health (Edinburgh & Lothian): Operates mental health services in Edinburgh and the Lothians — the same regional health board area as Changes. Direct regional overlap with Changes' catchment, particularly relevant given shared NHS Lothian relationships.
• Bipolar Scotland: Scotland-wide charity supporting people affected by bipolar disorder and related mood conditions through peer support groups, information, and advocacy. Comparable to Changes' group-based wellbeing support model but condition-specific and operates nationally.
• Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living (LCIL): East Lothian and Lothian-based disability and wellbeing organisation providing person-centred support, advocacy, and community-based services. Overlaps with Changes' community wellbeing and individual/family support model for vulnerable adults.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Changes_CHP
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChangesEL
• Instagraminstagram.com/changeseastlothian
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/changes-community-health-project

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Changes East Lothian