Counselling service to ring changes after £10,000 Lotto boost

Confide Counselling Service, which covers Telford and Shrewsbury, was given almost £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund which will be used to buy specialist equipment and to train staff and volunteers to provide help.

Janet Radford, the charity's chief executive, said the funding would make a huge difference to some of the most hard to reach clients in the county.

She said: "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.

"In addition, this 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."

Bosses claim that they hope the new facilities will also reduce the number of missed or cancelled appointments.

She said: "We often see people who are suffering from anxiety to such an extent that leaving the safety of the home to come to their appointment is too much of a challenge and they can go several weeks between appointments.

"To be able to offer the client the alternative of having their therapy over the phone will make sure that the people that need support can still receive it. The continuity should help them to recover earlier."

Confide Counselling Service is based in the Roy Fletcher Centre and has been providing quality counselling for over 27 years.

The service is open to clients aged 16 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 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.

For more details call 01743 351319. or visit confide.org.uk