Lived Experience Is Not Something You Can Shut Down.

For nearly three decades, CAPITAL has been more than an organisation. We are a community led by lived experience, people who’ve taken their own struggles and turned them into strength for others.

At West Sussex hospitals, our peer supporters have sat in some of the hardest moments. No judgement. No agenda. Just presence. And it mattered:

95% said our support helped

97% wanted us to return

Patients told us:

“They actually listen and let you finish.”

“…helped me feel centred and calm — it’s more effective than any medication I’ve had here.”

Peers shared what this work means to them:

“This isn’t just a job. It gave me hope that I could work again.”

And NHS staff said:

“Losing peer support would be absolutely detrimental to the ward.”

Now, that work is being decommissioned. The future is uncertain. Anxiety is running high. Some of our staff with lived experience are already becoming unwell. Because for them, this isn’t just employment. As one of our peers put it: “Working at CAPITAL gave me back my confidence. Now I’m scared of losing myself again.”

Services may stop on paper, but lived experience is not something you can shut down.

To every staff colleague, volunteer, and peer, thank you. Your courage and commitment over the years is the work that has changed lives, built confidence, and brought hope.

Whatever happens next, that impact cannot be undone.

Duncan Marshall. CEO, CAPITAL Project Trust