WANTAGE COUNSELLING SERVICE

was founded in 1984 to provide counselling for individuals, couples and young people over the age of 15 years. As a registered charity we are able to provide this professional service to people whatever their financial circumstances. As well as being a respected community agency we also provide counselling services to GP surgeries and schools. GPs and Psychiatric Consultants make much use of our services and comment that the WCS is particularly valuable as a voluntary addition for patients in need of long term care beyond whatever the NHS can provide.

As a BACP accredited Service we follow the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy's (BACP) Ethical Framework for Good Practice.

All our qualified counsellors have been trained to Diploma level, and receive regular practice supervision.

Up to 50 clients are seen each week, and each client may need more than 40 sessions to relieve their symptoms.

FINANCE

WCS is a registered charity. Clients are counselled entirely according to need and irrespective of their ability to pay the full fee of £40-£45 per session. This results in a large shortfall of our running costs being covered, so we have to raise at least £15,000 annually to keep the service running.

The running costs include rent of our premises, heating and lighting, cleaning, telephone and other office expenses and the fees of our professional staff which includes the Head of Counselling, Services Manager, Supervisors and Head of Training.

Donations are eligible for Gift Aid income tax refunds. For further information please contact the Services Manager at the address on the Introduction page.

Charity trustees are the people who serve on the governing body of a charity. The constitution for WCS allows for a minimum of 5 trustees, and a maximum of 7. All trustees within WCS are volunteers. The trustees bring a wealth of experience and expertise with them from a variety of backgrounds.

The Charity Commission set out the role of trustees very clearly in their booklet
CC3 - The Essential Trustee: What you need to know

(http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Publications/cc3.aspx)

Below are some extracts from that booklet that will hopefully enable the reader to determine the responsibilities of the trustees.

Compliance – Trustees must:

1) Trustees have and must accept ultimate responsibility for directing the affairs of a charity, and ensuring that it is solvent, well-run, and delivering the charitable outcomes for the benefit of the public for which it has been set up.

(2) Ensure that the charity complies with charity law, and with the requirements of the Charity Commission as regulator; in particular ensure that the charity prepares reports on what it has achieved and Annual Returns and accounts as required by law.

(3) Ensure that the charity does not breach any of the requirements or rules set out in its governing document and that it remains true to the charitable purpose and objects set out there.

(4) Comply with the requirements of other legislation and other regulators (if any) which govern the activities of the charity.

(5) Act with integrity, and avoid any personal conflicts of interest or misuse of charity funds or assets.

Duty of prudence - Trustees must:

(6) Ensure that the charity is and will remain solvent.

(7) Use charitable funds and assets reasonably, and only in furtherance of the charity's objects.

(8) Avoid undertaking activities that might place the charity's endowment, funds, assets or reputation at undue risk.

(9) Take special care when investing the funds of the charity, or borrowing funds for the charity to use.

Duty of care - Trustees must:

(10) Use reasonable care and skill in their work as trustees, using their personal skills and experience as needed to ensure that the charity is well-run and efficient.

(11) Consider getting external professional advice on all matters where there may be material risk to the charity, or where the trustees may be in breach of their duties.


Thanks are given to the Charity Commission for allowing us to reproduce these extracts from CC3

LATEST INFORMATION, IMPORTANT DATES AND DETAILS OF UPCOMING EVENTS

WCS held its AGM on Thursday 4th November.
The first half of the meeting was taken up with the necessary business, after which Angela Cousins promoted her newest book "Looking Down on Creation". This is a personal account of her life's journey undertaken since she started her training as a counsellor some 25 years ago.

Whenever someone embarks on this training they make discoveries about life and themselves that lead to destinations that are both exciting and scary, all at the same time. Angela's writing is always totally engaging, and this book is no exception.

(Angela has also written a booklet celebrating 25 years of Wantage Counselling Service)

The other highlight of the evening was the presentation of diploma certificates to two counsellors who have completed their five year training period, which includes many hours of study together with at least 150 hours of counselling

Professional Organisations

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)
Tel: 0870 443 5252
www.bacp.co.uk


British Psychoanalytic Council
West Hill House, 6 Swains Lane, LONDON, N6 6QS
www.psychoanalytic-council.org


United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy
2nd Floor, Edward House, 2 Wakley Street, London, EC1V 7LT
Tel: 0870 167 2131 Fax: 0870 167 2133
www.psychotherapy.org.uk

Relate
Herbert Gray College, Little Church Street, RUGBY, Warwickshire CV213AP
Tel: 0845 456 1310
www.relate.org.uk


Charitable Organisations

WITNESS (formally POPAN)
WITNESS: against abuse by health & care workers is the only charity in the UK working exclusively on abuse by health & care workers. WITNESS runs a helpline, a support and advocacy service, provides training and develops new policy approaches to the prevention of abuse

Delta House 175-177 Borough High Street, London, SE1 1HR
Helpline 08454 500 300 Admin: 020 7939 9920
info@witnessagainstabuse.org.uk
http://www.popan.org.uk


MIND
Mind is the leading mental health charity in England and Wales. We work to create a better life for everyone with experience of mental distress by:

a) advancing the views, needs and ambitions of people with mental health problems

b) challenging discrimination and promoting inclusion

c) influencing policy through campaigning and education

d) inspiring the development of quality services which reflect expressed need and diversity

e) achieving equal rights through campaigning and education.

www.mind.org.uk

USEFUL NUMBERS FOR OTHER AGENCIES
For support and information for members of the Service in their work
ADVICE AND INFORMATION
Citizens Advice Bureau, Abingdon		01235 521894
CAB Didcot		01235 813632
The Independent Advice Centre, Wantage		01235 765348
Mediation Oxfordshire (Community mediation)		01865 776789
Oxfordshire Family Mediation Service		01865 741781
Oxfordshire Mind		01865 511702
Oxfordshire Money Advice Project		01865 244411
CARERS
Alzheimer's Society		01865 876508
Carers' Centre, South and Vale		01235 510212
COUNSELLING SUPPORT GROUPS
Crisis Line (Oxfordshire Mind)		01865 251152
Cruse Bereavement Care		01865 245398
The Isis Centre		01865 556648
NORCAP(National Organisation for Counselling Adoptees and Parents		01865 875000
OCIC (Oxford Christian Institute for Counselling)		01865 308889
Relate Oxfordshire		01865 242960
DAY SERVICES
Mind in Wantage (The Haven)		01235 770411
DRUG AND ALCOHOL SERVICES
Social Services Drug and Alcohol Team		01865 455634
Alcoholics Anonymous		01865 242373
Alcoholics Anonymous Helpline		08457 697555
Al-Anon, Family Groups UK (24 hour helpline)		02074 030888
HOUSING AND HOMELESS
Housing Services; Vale of White Horse District Council		01235 520202
Age Concern Oxfordshire		01235 849400
YOUNG PEOPLE, CHILDREN & FAMILIES
Didcot Family Centre		01235 511444
Faringdon Family Centre		01367 242432
Home Start Southern Oxfordshire		01235 511152
STATUTORY SECTOR PROVISION
Vale of White Horse Community Mental Health Team		01235 205447
Newbury Mental Health Services		01635 292020