Burnley mental health-focused CIC eyeing expansion

A Burnley-based Community Interest Company (CIC) which was established to promote positive conversations about mental health is planning to expand over the coming year, including making its first permanent hires.

Six Connections was established in 2020 by Dave Scholes, who previously led his own creative agency before moving into the charity sector. 

Dave lost his best friend to suicide 15 years ago and started the company to offer businesses which wanted to provide mental health support to their staff something different to what was available at the time.

He said: “I saw a lot of initiatives and programmes out there, but they were quite stereotypical. People were still not confident to talk about the subject. In particular, people were not talking about mental health when they were okay.”

Six Connections launched just before the Covid pandemic and, initially, Dave led an informal weekly online session for professionals in Lancashire to connect with each other and discuss mental health.

“When the world began to return to normal, we were gaining a reputation in Lancashire, with the likes of Boost and Lancashire Business View, and at that point we wanted to understand how we could start conversations in the places that people go to,” said Dave.

Through Six Connections, Dave began the Powered By Mates movement which partners with organisations to promote conversations about mental health in the community. 

A partnership with Moorhouse’s in 2024 saw the brewery launch a new ale, ‘Ask Twice’, featuring QR codes on pumps, bottles and drip mats linking to a page on the Six Connections website offering support. Six Connections is also Burnley FC’s charitable partner for the 2025/26 season, utilising the Powered By Mates brand to prompt conversations among football fans about mental health.

Six Connections has grown over the past four years, working with an increased number of businesses across the North West through training and other initiatives to support staff wellbeing and mental health.

Last year, the company continued its growth, opening its own business space in the heart of Burnley.

“I started to think about it at the back end of 2024. I’ve always been a big believer that you invite people to your space to talk about this stuff,” said Dave. “We started it in September with coworking and facilities where people can come in and use the space.”

The facility, ONE Slater Terrace, also provides a permanent home for Six Connections to deliver its training and support to companies. In addition, it has its very own bar. Dave says this is designed to prompt mental health conversations. particularly among men.

In the six years since Six Connections was launched, Dave has used Boost support on a number of occasions. This includes help from Boost’s Business Support Helpdesk, advice from Boost expert advisers and tailored startup support with Boost experts to help the company grow.

Dave said: “I’ve had a lot of support from Boost, particularly with business development, at each stage of the journey – it’s helped in getting me thinking about growth and what that growth looks like. Sitting around and speaking to advisers and other companies about growth is infectious.”

To date, Six Connections has used a freelance model for the delivery of its support but Dave says he is now looking at further growth, including the appointment of Six Connections’ first permanent member of staff in the coming year.

 “Six Connections is a real community of care,” he added. “We were previously operating as both a limited company and a CIC but from the start of this year we’re just operating as a Community Interest Company. We’ve collaborated with some brilliant organisations, including Boost, and the more successful we are, the more people we can help.”