A MENTAL health service has moved to a new home that it hopes will double the number of people it can help.

Restore, which helps people with mental health problems recover, was once housed in a small, leaky-roofed shop in Orchard Way, Banbury.

But today the service officially opens its new £36,000 home in a former warehouse in Calthorpe Street.

The move will see people from all over North Oxfordshire referred to the Banbury unit, which has seen demand for the service in the area double since Christmas.

Katrina Horne, recovery and personalisation manager, said the new home meant the charity could help more people and would be easier for service users to reach.

She said: “The increase in cases is because of the time of year.

“It’s typically the period when demand for mental health services increases.

“Before, in the old base, we were able to see about 10 to 12 people a day. Now we can double that to about 25.

“As we are a regional referral base, the new town centre position also means that people can get to us much more easily.”

Formerly a warehouse, the building has been converted to office space and workshops to aid people with mental health problems with their recovery.

Workshops such as chocolate-making, miniature furniture-making, bread-making, cv-writing, public-speaking, and self-defence can now be held at the new unit, which also has a kitchen. Members can also take part in activities such as gardening, woodwork, crafts and make items to sell in a new shop, which is now open to the public at the new base.

After an arson attack on the group’s allotment in November, Hillier’s Garden Centre donated a new summer house and Argos, Homebase and Brantano all gave tools and equipment.

Ms Horne added: “We are very excited to be launching the service in a new building. Service users, volunteers and staff have all worked really hard to get it ready.”

Oxfordshire High Sheriff Penelope Glen will mark the official opening by cutting a ribbon at a ceremony today She said: “It gives me great pleasure to officially launch Restore’s service in Banbury as I was involved in the judging of the Oxfordshire Charity and Volunteer Awards in October 2011 when Restore was declared Charity of the Year.

“I congratulate all those who have contributed to Restore’s expansion into North Oxfordshire.”