A charity supporting people suffering from trauma, sexual violence and mental health issues is turning 50 this month.
Norwich-based St Barnabas Counselling Centre provides support to people dealing with recovery and healing from grief or loss, anxiety or depression management and relationship difficulties.
St Barnabas is a low-cost service for all Norfolk residents who can’t afford private counselling, meaning clients only pay what they can afford.
An 18-month therapy service is available for self-referring clients on an assessment basis, with a mix of 30 trainee and fully qualified therapists volunteering at the Derby Street counselling centre in NR2.
Melpo Economou, director of St Barnabas, said: “We deliver 4,000 sessions a year, seeing 200 clients.
“Out of the 36 postcodes in Norfolk, we see one client from 29 of them, covering 81pc of Norfolk.”
The charity already has a contract with Norwich City Council, supporting people at risk of homelessness, and Norwich University of the Arts to provide therapy to students over a three-year course.
As of two years ago, free services to asylum seekers, refugees and migrants have been offered on a short-term basis of 12 to 15 sessions. Therapists work with online interpreters to support clients from over 13 countries.
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On Sunday, June 16, St Barnabas is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a walled garden party at Bishop’s House.
Past clients and the public are welcome to attend, with ex-donors, church congregations and partner organisations set to attend.
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Melpo added: “It’s a celebration of all the work that the volunteer counsellors have done over the last 50 years.”
The event will include music from The Speckled Hen and Mind the Gap, as well as the Evolving Canvasses exhibition which raises awareness for mental health.
The event will run in Bishop's House Garden, near the cathedral, from 1pm to 4.30pm.
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