Despite the challenges that we have faced over the last year, we have been fortunate enough not only to have some dedicated trainees who have been waiting in the wings to commence their counselling placement (and are now gladly able to) but also to recruit some new volunteers. A warm welcome to everyone joining our service – and a gracious thank you to all our volunteers old and new!

NLCS held its AGM on Friday 21st October. At the conclusion of the meeting, Tammy Tunstall stepped down as our Chair after three years in the role. Dennis Dickson, a former Chair and our longest serving volunteer (25+ years and counting) commented “talk about come the hour, come the person! We get struck down by a pandemic and there is Tammy, wonderfully steering the organisation through what must have been its most difficult time, certainly since I have been with NLCS. I appreciate Tammy was wonderfully supported by the MC.” Kathryn Crameri, our Vice Chair echoed this and offered a formal vote of thanks to Tammy, reminding the meeting that the pandemic had forced many changes on the way NLCS operates. All of these have been safely and successfully negotiated with Tammy at the helm. This sentiment was warmly and roundly supported by all present. Tammy will remain with NLCS in her role as Trustee and as a member of the Management Committee.

            We have the following vacancies   Trustees We are looking for additional Trustees (and, by definition, members of the Management Committee). The Trustee role involves attending 5 meetings a year (usually via Zoom) including a 2-hour meeting each quarter and the AGM. Most Trustees also help out in another way of their own choosing, such as fundraising, reviewing policies, attending new recruit interviews, organising social events, or any other activity that they can do to support the service. The only requirements are a commitment to attend meetings and an enthusiasm for NLCS! Telephone Team The telephone team is the first point of contact for potential clients looking for our support. Rebekah Bailey, our Telephone Team manager, says “The role is right at the front line following up requests for referrals and any other enquiries from people phoning our advertised phone number. The duty involves accessing messages left on our voicemail, taking details, phoning the enquirers back. You are allocated 3 consecutive days each month, which will then be the same in subsequent months. On average you can expect 3 messages per 3 days, some months zero, some months 4-6 messages. You will be self-reliant and the team is self-monitoring. You call from your own phone and make contact with enquiries by withholding your own number for privacy.” This is a great opportunity, for our trainee counsellors in particular, to develop your skills and experience the process of NLCS from start to finish. Rebekah and others on the team will provide guidance and support as necessary. If you are interested in either (or both!) of these roles, please email secretary@northlancscounselling.org.uk outlining how you can help us.  

We are incredibly proud to hear this week that one of our fantastic volunteers, Rebecca Oaks, has received an MBE from the Queen for her services to coppicing and woodcraft. This is a remarkable achievement, particularly as we know she has also offered so much time and commitment to our clients at North Lancashire Counselling too. https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/north_lancashire/19376742.coppice-worker-rebecca-oaks-carnforth-receives-mbe/ On behalf of everyone at NLCS, we share our congratulations and thanks for all you do! Well done!  

I offer a very warm welcome to our four new Trainees – Nicola, Dianna, Amanda, and Rowan – who I know are getting underway with their counselling. We are all here to support you and each other, please do ask if you have any questions. I am also happy to welcome our two new Trustees, Christiaan Morgan and Rachel Stevenson, who have just joined the team with a wide range of experience and skills that will be a great asset. And finally, welcome to Emily and Henry, who are both volunteering with us as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award – all the best with your endeavours! Tammy, Nominal Chair, May 2021

As a small, local charity offering free and reduced cost counselling, we are looking for qualified Supervisors to offer low cost supervision to our volunteers. Each of our Supervisors works with up to 3 counsellors at a rate of £20 per hour. If you would like to know more please contact Kathryn at vicechair@northlancscounselling.org.uk.

As an NLCS Counsellor, are you interested in joining a peer support group for Counsellors to facilitate further discussion around best practice and sharing resources? If so, please contact chair@northlancscounselling.org.uk. This group is in addition to Supervision, and is not a substitute for it, however it will adhere to our strict confidentiality and sharing information guidance. At this time, it will be held via Zoom. Frequency can be totally dependent on the needs of those attending, with a view to start quarterly.

Hello everyone Kathryn Crameri and her Trust Singers are “on the road again”; this time with a Christmas themed musical evening, the proceeds from which will again benefit NLCS. Trust Singers are a Garstang based choir and you can read more about them on their FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/trustsingers Details of the occasion are below. If you fancy going along, please contact them directly. Naturally, please feel free to publicise this further to anyone outside of NLCS who would be interested. The more tickets that are sold, the greater the benefit to NLCS.

What an achievement for our founders and the many subsequent volunteers that NLCS has been providing a free, counselling service continuously for the last 30 years. Our founder, Rev. Arthur Longworth (pictured here) would be extremely proud. As we are unable to meet in large groups at present, we will reflect on our achievements via a Zoom celebration later in the year – all are welcome. Please contact chair@northlancscounselling.org.uk if you are not a current member and wish to be invited. We have also created a wonderful booklet to share some of our history, memories, and achievements from the last 30 years. This is available to read in full in our HISTORY OF NLCS section.

              We are looking for a new Chair to help support and develop the work of the service and to help us meet the challenges of the future. The Chair will: liaise directly with our Vice Chair and Secretary to help chair quarterly Trustee meetings, as well as the AGM – currently all via video-link help manage and develop the ongoing work of the service, such as the recruitment of volunteers, working to best practice, fund-raising, updates to policies and procedures, and managing any safeguarding concerns which may arise lead/work with the Management Team/Trustees to generate ideas and agree strategies to help meet a rapidly changing environment. What are we looking for? A dynamic individual who can support and develop the work of the service and help us meet the challenges of the future. Practical considerations We would expect applicants to have: an understanding of counselling and psychotherapy or other mental health support practices an understanding of safeguarding issues experience of team building the ability to lead/collaborate on the development of new policies experience of successfully managing (or contributing to the management of) an organisation, ideally a charity good organisation and communication skills, including writing reports, policies, and newsletters which can be shared with the wider team basic I.T. skills to manage emails and documents and to attend video-link meetings. Requirements Relevant qualifications or training Will require criminal record check Own computer or secure access to one Must live in, or work locally to, the Lancaster area   Taking the next step If you are interested in applying, please send your cv, with a brief covering letter, to vicechair@northlancscounselling.org.uk and secretary@northlancscounselling.org.uk   Applications will close no later than 31st March 2023  

John Finch, a friend of NLCS, visited our new website and downloaded our 30th birthday celebration booklet, available as a download here. As a result he took the time and trouble to put together a short “taster video” summarising what we do. To view it, you can click THIS LINK Enjoy and, from all of us at NLCS, thank you again John

As Government guidance remains changeable in line with the development of the pandemic, we are working hard to keep all our clients and volunteers safe, whilst maintaining our counselling provision. At the time of writing (January 2021) only in rare circumstances are we agreeing to see clients face-to-face – and in these circumstances our building and protocols are guided by our strict health and safety risk assessment. Most of our work continues to either be by telephone call or online video-link. For volunteers – a copy of the risk assessment can be found on DropBox. We hope you continue to keep yourselves well. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

            A warm welcome to Alison Farrell (Supervisor), and to our new trainee Counsellors Mary Rawcliffe, Helen Lawrie,and Shellie Briggs, all of whom joined us in March 2022. A big thank you and enjoy your time with NLCS