Lottery money for counselling service
Volunteers and staff at a Shrewsbury counselling service are encouraging local people to get in touch to benefit from a new project.
Confide Counselling Service has secured almost £10,000 from Big Lottery Fund to develop a new telephone counselling service, and is now ready to offer a telephone counselling free for the rest of this year.
Chief Executive Janet Radford said that telephone counselling was the best way to engage some of the most hard to reach clients in the county.
She added: “Shropshire is a deeply rural area and for those without a car getting to the centre of Shrewsbury for an appointment can be time-consuming and costly, this service will enable our clients to have their therapy from wherever it is most convenient for them.
"Also it will make life easier for our clients who are disabled, living with a long-term health condition or for those with caring responsibilities who simply find it difficult to leave their home. People who have to travel a long distance for employment might also find it easier to have counselling by phone as they then won’t have to come into Shrewsbury Town Centre at the end of a long working day.”
Confide Counselling Service is based in the Roy Fletcher Centre and has been providing counselling for over 27 years.
Their qualified counsellors see clients aged 11 and over suffering from mild to moderate mental health difficulties such as depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, bereavement, stress, low confidence, current or past abuse or workplace difficulties.
Fees are on a sliding scale dependant on income and personal circumstances, the organisation is supported by committed volunteers which ensures that therapy can be provided at a lower cost than commercial rates.
Counselling is also available through Confide free on NHS if registered with a Shropshire GP. To find out more call Confide on 01743 351319 or see www.confide.org.uk.
