A new bursary fund offers subsidised counselling for Elmbridge residents

A new community grant of £5,000, awarded to The Counselling Partnership (TCP), will fund one-to-one counselling sessions for some of the most vulnerable residents in Elmbridge.

TCP is a local charity offering professional, affordable counselling. To cover the costs of each counselling session, TCP usually ask for a minimum donation of £25. However, this is a cost many people on low incomes struggle to afford. The new bursary fund will ensure that finances aren’t a barrier for anyone to access the counselling services.

Since the start of the pandemic, TCP has seen an increase in the number of referrals for people who have been unable to receive counselling through the NHS. To meet this growing demand and keep their waiting lists to a minimum, the charity has recently recruited another six volunteer counsellors.

Terri Collins, Chair of TCP says, “We cannot thank Walton Charity enough for supporting our Bursary Fund. The grant will mean that we can help subsidise counselling for people who are in real need of a talking therapy, but who are already making so many difficult choices as to how they spend their limited budget. Putting oneself first is always a difficult choice, and we hope that this grant will help us help those who are struggling with mental health issues, within the Elmbridge Community, to come forward for help”.