A charity has helped 89 local key workers by offering them free counselling.

The Dorchester Trust for Counselling and Psychotherapy's (DTCP) free counselling for key worker scheme was set up in April 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic to offer support to local key workers because of the increased stress and pressure on them during a very challenging time.

It ran until June 2021 and six free sessions were provided - and in exceptional circumstances 12 sessions - to each key worker.

A total of 89 people were supported by the scheme, which involved 20 counsellors who offered their services at a reduced cost.

People received support with a wide range of issues including stress and anxiety at work, family and relationship problems and grief and loss. Key workers from a wide variety of setting including NHS staff, police, military, supermarket workers, teachers and care workers were supported.

The service was even nominated by one of its recipients for BBC Radio 4's 2021 All in the Mind Awards, which seek experiences of brilliant mental health care and recognise the people who helped make the difference.

Comments from those supported include:

"I feel privileged for the support the trust has provided. It has been incredibly valuable during a very difficult time."

"Time to talk has been invaluable to make sense of my current life situation."

"The recent pandemic has affected so many people in different ways and for some has heightened the struggles with their mental health as well as re-surfacing demons which they thought had gone away but having the counselling sessions has now changed my direction. This is a fantastic service and I cannot thank you enough."

A counsellor involved in the scheme said: "The benefits of our key worker scheme were evidenced every week when, standing outside our front doors, or open windows, our local care workers passed by as we cheered them on their weary ways home.

"Knowing DTCP were funded to offer free support to all those working on the frontline, together with the positive feedback I had from those I saw, made me proud to be a part of this scheme. Thank you to each and every funder who enabled us to provide this service."

DTCP was set up in 2005 by Dr Mary Lister Ashby to provide local people with low-cost counselling. Since then, it has supported hundreds of people living in Dorchester and the surrounding area who may not have otherwise been able to access support.

Find out more at dtcp.org.uk

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