Counselling service looking to raise enough to fund its services for a year

A counselling service based in Henley is looking to raise enough money to fund its services for a year.

Riverside Counselling Service is aiming to gather £240,000 through its 'Be a Friend -Tell a Friend' appeal.

The appeal comes on the heels of a surge in demand for mental health services following the pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Last year Riverside provided 1,379 counselling sessions to 76 people in Didcot and the surrounding areas.

The charity does not receive any specific funding and offers reduced fee counselling to more than 90 per cent of its clients in Didcot, with almost half of these clients paying between £1 and £10.

Adrian Marsh, chair of trustees at Riverside Counselling, said: "The UK is currently in the grip of both a mental health crisis and a cost-of-living crisis.

"With mental health services within the NHS extremely stretched, and private counselling too expensive for many, there is a growing need for affordable counselling, which is what Riverside provide.

"However, our costs are also increasing, and securing funding is becoming more and more competitive."

One Riverside client said: "Riverside has been a wonderful service, and hugely important to me over the past 10 months helping me to navigate some difficult times.

"The counselling sessions have been a weekly oasis of calm and reflection, and have taught me to better manage my mental health outside of those sessions."