Sudbury counselling charity Kernos Centre hails ‘life-saving’ grant to help cover costs of therapy for disadvantaged clients
A Sudbury-based mental health charity has voiced its gratitude at a ‘life-saving’ grant, to help ensure it can continue funding therapy for those who most need it, but cannot afford it.
The Kernos Centre is celebrating a fresh £245,000 influx, courtesy of the National Lottery Community Fund, which will be spread over the next five years.
Based in Friars Street, the charity revealed that a serious gap had emerged in its finances since 2020, because the combination of the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis had meant fewer people can pay for therapy.
Despite this, Kernos has maintained its pledge never to turn anyone away and subsidise the cost of counselling for disadvantaged clients – but it warned this had placed a serious strain on its cash reserves.
Peter Brown, the charity’s finance director, stated they were so grateful to the National Lottery for the grant, adding that it would provide a firm foundation for further fundraising in the coming years.
“The human cost of failing to deliver effective psychological therapies to those that need them is immeasurable,” he said.
“As a charity which receives no statutory funding, we rely heavily on the goodwill of our clients, and many others, to cover our costs – but, for many people who need help, the cost of private therapy is out of reach.
“Without this grant, it is doubtful we could have continued to meet the cost of supporting so many people.”
The funding comes after a recent meeting between Sudbury mayor Jan Osborne, South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge and local charity representatives, to discuss the challenges facing the sector.
Chris Boatwright, the charity’s clinical director, added: “All the staff and volunteers at the Kernos Centre would like to wish the local community a very happy Christmas.
“We offer our grateful thanks to all the individuals and local organisations that have generously supported us over the last 12 months.”
