Delight over charity’s £300k lottery boost (From Echo)

Delight over charity’s £300k lottery boost

6:00pm Friday 10th February 2012 in Local News By Chloe Chapman

Rita Ringshall, Aline Klayton, Anthony King, Barbara Warner, Terry Champ and Victoria Marzouki

A CHARITY is celebrating a £300,000 boost from the lottery to transform services for people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Southend Mind was given £300,000 from the Big Lottery Fund to set up a counselling service across Southend, Rochford and Castle Point.

The idea for the project came after it emerged former soldiers living in south Essex were finding it difficult to deal with the challenges of everyday life, but didn’t know where to turn to for help.

Barbara Warner, head of fundraising at the charity, said: “It became apparent there was a gap in the market and the only service already available was very short term.

“This service doesn’t just apply to the military, it is for anyone who is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, but of course in our area we have got a lot of ex-military personnel, because we’re not far from Colchester. A lot of former military people choose to move to a nice seaside town.”

Southend Mind will now be able to offer a much-needed counselling service to anyone who has experienced a major life trauma and now suffers flashbacks or physical and mental problems.

Trained counsellors will give specialist treatment over a course of 11 sessions, and will be on hand if more time is needed.

Mrs Warner added: “If they need more help it can always be extended, but what we want from the start is to have a goal.”

The treatment will take place at the charity’s main office in Southchurch Road, Southend, as well as in a range of doctors surgeries and community centres throughout Castle Point and Rochford, in a bid to bring the service to the people who need it.

The funding will be spread over a period of three years, guaranteeing the service for that time.

Mrs Warner said: “It’s such a lot of money. We are in the process of raising money through events and have such an amazing, generous community behind us, but it would take such a long time to raise that amount.”

They hope to have the service up and running within the next few months.

For more information about Southend Mind or to get involved in fundraising, visit www.southendmind.org.uk or call 01702 601123.