By Louise Allison

Wellspring Counselling first opened its doors in 1994 and has been supporting people across North Somerset ever since.

In that time, so many changes have happened. So, what was life like in 1994? Well, we weren’t the only ones to be founded in this historic year; Yahoo and Amazon were both set up then too, making it possible to chat to friends across the world and buy books online for the first time, although smart phones and social media were still the stuff of dreams. Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction were massive box office hits, Britpop dominated the charts and the, now legendary, hit TV show Friends graced our screens for the very first time.

Here at Wellspring, we have also seen massive changes, both within society and within the community we support. Demand for our services has continued to grow and we have seen a rise in the complexity of issues that many of our clients are dealing with. Wellspring is the only organisation of its kind able to offer counselling to high-risk young people with complex needs. As demand soars and mental health agencies are squeezed to their limits, our service becomes ever more relevant and sadly our waiting lists reflect this.

In 2020, the landscape changed once again as Covid-19 altered the way we all live and work. It was a time of crisis for so many and a turning point for us as a charity as we fully embraced the digital world and began to offer remote counselling for the first time (over the phone or via videocall).

Of course, as we continue to live with the pandemic, we are still seeing the effects; and we expect to do so for years to come as people struggle with anxiety, uncertainty, job losses, bereavement and financial hardship. As a charity, Wellspring continues to evolve its offering, moving towards a blended service which incorporates remote and face-to-face therapy.

Who knows what changes we will see before Wellspring reaches its 30th birthday in 2024? Whatever they are, we hope we can continue to support the people of North Somerset, meet the demand that’s out there and offer timely and life-changing help to those in need.

Wellspring Counselling is only able to continue its valuable work due to fundraising, grants and individual donations (we receive no statutory funding at all), and we are incredibly grateful for the fantastic community support we have enjoyed over the decades. Our counselling is highly subsidised and it costs a lot to keep our service operating, so continued support from the community is absolutely vital.

If you would like to help Wellspring, you can support us in a number of ways. You can give regularly by becoming a Friend of Wellspring at www.wellspringcounselling.org.uk/friendsofwellspring, make a one-off donation at www.justgiving.com/campaign/WellspringCounselling2021 or fundraise on our behalf. We would also be interested in hearing from any local organisations or businesses who would consider making us a charity partner for 2022. For more information, contact us on admin@wellspringcounselling.org.uk or call 01275 810879


What is Wellspring Counselling?

We offer affordable, one-to-one counselling to adults who need support as well as a specific donations-based counselling service to young people. Our amazing team of qualified counsellors help people with a wide range of needs and are dedicated to Wellspring’s founding ethos of high-quality, low-cost counselling for all.

In 2004, Wellspring introduced its one-to-one service for young people aged 11-18. In response to a real need in the local community, we aimed to fill the gap between in-school counselling provision and the high-level support offered through the NHS CAMHS. The service has grown over the years and Wellspring has seen more than 150 young people in 2021 alone. If you need support, you can contact us on reception@wellspringcounselling,org.uk or call 01275 810879 to speak to one of our admin team.


Want to join the Wellspring Team?

We are currently recruiting for several exciting and key roles in the charity. For more information visit www.wellspringcounselling.org.uk and click on Join the Team.