Relate charity’s Leamington open day to show why it’s good to talk about problems

Relate Coventry & Warwickshire, a branch of the larger charity, recently set up a new office in Park Street having been based in Warwick for several years.

Staff and volunteers at the office held an open day last Friday to showcase the variety of important services it offers to adults, teenagers and children.

Tracy Murphy, chief executive for Relate Coventry & Warwickshire, said: “We offer relationship services and counselling and we work with both couples and individuals - 46 per cent of the work we provide for relationship counselling is actually working with individuals.

“Couples will come to us because they want to stay together or they want to sperate amicably and then the focus is on the children if they have them.”

Relate was founded shortly after the Second World War as a result of a growing number of relationship breakdowns due to troubles of the time.

Tracy said: “People are more willing to talk about their issues now. Even children are more able to come forward and not just shut things away.

“Talking is a therapy that really helps.”

As a registered charity, Relate does not turn anybody away irrespective of funding.

Sessions cost the charity £46 per hour and it subsequently asks service users for a contribution of up to £40 for sessions.

But it also prides itself on doing its best to support people who may not be able to afford the full amount.

Tracy said: “We know funding is a big issue and there’s lots of cuts about but that’s why we try to raise funds and get some money so we can make sure everybody can access the service because we know how important it is for them.”

Of the 3,500 people across Coventry and Warwickshire the charity helps each year about 2,000 of them are children.

Almost half of these children have been referred to Reach due to issues dealing with their parents’ separation or divorce but the branch’s Reach Service, commissioned by Warwickshire County Council and Coventry City Council, also helps youngsters and teenagers aged from five to 18 who have been affected by bereavement or abuse and could have problems such as self-harming, phobias and ‘low-level’ mental health issues.

Additionally, Time for You is a programme which provides counselling services in 51 schools across Coventry and Warwickshire.

Operations services manager Mandy Wadell said: “By having early intervention and support for a child you can stop them from having to access higher-level mental health services later along the line. I find that invaluable. “

Relate Coventry & Warwickshire has 59 employees, of which 46 cover all types of counselling.

Services are available at the Leamington office from Monday to Thursday until 9pm, Fridays until 4pm and Saturdays until 1.30pm.

Other nearby branches are in Rugby, Stratford and Coventry.

Call 024 7622 5863 or visit relatecoventry.org