Increased demands on Leeds Jewish Welfare Board's Neshama mental health service have resulted in its first waiting list.

Addressing the annual Women4Welfare coffee morning, LJWB trustee Nikki Ross reported 12 new referrals over the past two months. A waiting list for those with mental health issues was "unacceptable for all those who care about our community," she said.

Mrs Ross added that "even though statistics indicate that one-in-four people suffer with mental health problems, we still need to educate and inform from an early age in order to lift the stigma associated with mental health."

Women4Welfare was set up six years ago by Philippa Lester and friends Wendy Bott, Gabrielle Hurwitz, Dianne Lyons and Angie Shulman to back Neshama. Funds raised have paid for social worker hours and refurbishing welfare board property Stone Court.