Compassion and companionship: six months of The Nook
7th May 2026
Last October the doors opened at The Nook in Glasgow: the first in a groundbreaking national network of free, walk-in mental health support hubs from SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health). Team Leader Fraser Scott reflects on the first six months of this innovative service, which will be rolled out across Scotland over the next two years.
Like many colleagues, I joined The Nook because I wanted to be part of a pioneering service designed to support anyone who comes through its doors.
I’d worked for 15 years in third sector service provision and often encountered people stuck in a cycle of referrals, waiting lists, and barriers to accessing ongoing support. SAMH’s vision for The Nook promised a simple alternative: a place where anyone could ask once and get help fast. No rejection, no waitlists, no stigma. Just compassionate support for whoever comes in. As a pioneering service, how would it work in practice?
The Nook opened its doors in Glasgow on Thursday 23 October as the first in Scotland’s first ever national network of walk-in mental health support hubs.
Many of our visitors arrive experiencing milder mental health problems, like stress or anxiety. The Nook is specifically designed to offer a wide range of flexible support and therapeutic tools so each person who stops by for a chat can find something to meet their individual needs. This includes one-to-one support with a practitioner as well as weekly group activities like arts and crafts classes and peer support groups. We already have some great local partner organisations helping to deliver these free sessions, which are proving very popular. Please take a look at our calendar of events.
Time and again, visitors cite isolation as the biggest social contributory factor to poor mental health and the feedback we are receiving all points to visitors benefitting from making new social connections at The Nook. It is heartening to hear that The Nook has already become a comfortable place where it’s also possible to meet new people.
Since opening, we have welcomed more than 3,000 visitors through our doors. Our team have already completed close to 2,200 one-to-one support sessions, with the most common mental health concerns including low mood, feeling anxious and seeking ways to support wellbeing. It has been very humbling to hear the positive impact our team has had, and the difference compassionate support can make to so many people in challenging times.
For some, a single meeting with one of our practitioners for information or support has been helpful enough for the moment. But almost 1,200 visitors have registered for a SAMH Connect account, which allows them to book appointments with our team, schedule classes and access a library of resources. Although we are a walk-in service, we offer the option to book appointments with our team to give visitors peace of mind or to ensure they meet with the same team member again.
Other visitors are engaging in the wider Nook offer, such as Listen & Link, Time for Me or cognitive behavioural coaching with our Wellbeing Practitioners, accessing support with our trainee psychologist team or engaging in our group activities.
I hope this serves to show there is something for everyone at The Nook, and it will continue to evolve to meet the needs of whoever needs us. You might be on a waiting list, or have been rejected from services previously. You might never have reached out for support before, or be seeking support for a loved one. Whoever you are, whatever your situation: you are welcome here.
I’ll leave you with the thoughts of a recent visitor to The Nook:
“Someone listened and gave me support and space. I didn’t feel rushed or like I had a time limit. I also really appreciated the grounding exercise. I am so grateful The Nook was there.”
You can find us at The Nook, 51 Wilson Street, Glasgow G1 1UZ and learn more about The Nook and its national roll out at: samh.org.uk/the-nook
