SUN groups are open to those with complex emotional needs, aged 18 years and over who are registered with a GP in Bedfordshire or Luton. SUN members do not need to have a formal diagnosis of ‘personality disorder’ to access the service.

Those accessing SUN groups may typically experience a range of longstanding challenges including:

• Difficulty managing frequently fluctuating, intense emotions ​
• Lots of ups and downs in your relationships with others ​
• Difficulty recognising and expressing emotions ​
• Uncertainty about who you are, often alongside low self-esteem ​
• Frequent feelings of loneliness and/or social isolation ​
• Difficulty with trust and fear of being rejected ​
• Feelings of behaviour being out of control (which may include enduring suicidal thoughts, self-harm, addiction, gambling)

RASP (Resource and Support Plan)

To become a member you will need to complete a Resource and Support Plan (RASP) within your first few group sessions. The other group members will support you to do this.

A RASP includes identifying what overwhelms you, what is unhelpful in difficult times, and what helps you to cope. It emphasises your resources and coping strategies, helping you and the group to understand your needs and how best to support each other.

How many people will attend?

For each online SUN group, attendance is limited to 9 members so that everyone can see each other on the screen. Face-to-face groups have no limit.

Only two RASP’s can be completed per session, meaning we may have to limit the number of new members attending at the same time.

Where will my data be shared and stored?

This is not a clinical service and no clinical notes will be accessed or made. Membership forms, RASPs, and anonymised group minutes are stored on Mind BLMK systems. You will receive a copy of your own RASP. All members attending a session will receive anonymised minutes of that session.

You can join SUN by completing a membership form on the Mind BLMK website; please find here.

Please check your junk/spam folder if you haven’t heard from us within one week.

Once you have completed your membership form, you will be sent a welcome email with details of how to attend group sessions and the timetable for groups. You will need to book onto your first session to complete a Resource and Support Plan (RASP).

We offer a mixture of face-to-face and online groups each week. You are welcome to attend as many as you would like.

Booking your first group
You will always need to book onto your first group by emailing us with the date and location of which group you would like to join.

Booking face to face groups  
Once your RASP is fully completed, you can attend any of the face-to-face groups without booking in advance. Until you have completed a RASP, please do not turn up to venues without booking.

Booking online groups 
To attend online groups you will need to book every time as we send out a new Microsoft Teams link for every group. We limit these groups to 9 members, so everyone is able to see each other on the screen. When joining on Microsoft Teams please use your first name only and make sure your camera is on, and your face is visible.    

If you would like to attend an online group, please book by 3pm the day before the group (or 3pm on a Friday for a Monday group) so that we can send you a virtual meeting link.

We emphasise the importance of being on time so that all members can get the most out of each group.

SUN Virtual Events

SUN Virtual Events are a great opportunity for potential members, professionals, and volunteers to learn more about the SUN model, meet the team, and ask any questions about our new service. As the service grows, it’ll also be a chance to hear directly from our members about their experiences with SUN.

If you’re interested in attending, please email SUN@mind-blmk.org.uk.

Recorded SUN Presentation

You can watch a recorded SUN Presentation here: