Following the vote in local Nottingham Tesco stores between Saturday 1st January and Thursday 31st March, Emmanuel House was chosen by customers to receive a grant award of £1,000. Thanks to everyone who voted, this award will fund access to a 12-week course of counselling for 3 beneficiaries at Emmanuel House.
Tesco Community Grants helps to fund thousands of local projects across the UK. Charities and community organisations are nominated and then contacted to apply for a grant. Every 3 months, 3 local good causes are chosen to be the blue token customer vote in Tesco stores throughout the UK.
How will the award be used?
Emmanuel House aims to provide support for mental wellbeing through on-site counselling sessions to homeless and vulnerable adults in Nottingham. This ‘121 Counselling Project’ will enable us to provide support to and transform the quality of life of people who face severe and multiple disadvantages, such as homelessness, substance misuse, mental and physical illness, extreme poverty, violence and abuse. This project will support recovery from addiction issues, anxiety and depression, whilst providing strategies and techniques to help beneficiaries cope with the trauma of homelessness.
Why is it so significant at this time?
Covid-19 has had a noticeable impact on everyone’s wellbeing, particularly communities and individuals with minimal support networks. We have worked tirelessly to ensure early intervention and consistent, reliable support throughout this turbulent time. Since March 2020 there has been an increase in demand for our services. The people we support have less confidence, greater fear, increased isolation and less access to community activities.
This addition of weekly 1-2-1 counselling sessions will enable us to further meet these needs. Private counselling is expensive and there are often long waiting lists for funded sessions. This project will address underlying problems that other projects and services in Nottingham City are not able to address. We want to provide accessible mental health support for those with the greatest need.
In order to run the project, we will be working in partnership with ‘SafeSpace’ counselling service, which was established a decade ago to work with clients with, or recovering from, drug and alcohol problems. Since then, the service has been extended to vulnerable people in general. Their wealth of experience and knowledge will enable Emmanuel House to further benefit those needing our support.
How will this make a difference?
Working with a counsellor will enable beneficiaries to:
- More fully understand their present situation.
- Explore new ways of making changes in their life.
- Build confidence and self-esteem.
- Resolve problems that interfere with beneficiaries making and maintaining relationships.
- Develop a greater sense of personal freedom.
- Develop strengths and coping skills.
We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who voted for Emmanuel House to win this award. Without the support of our local community, we would not be able to continue the work that we do with individuals who are experiencing homelessness, rough sleeping, at risk or in crisis.
If you would like to fundraise for Emmanuel House, please get in touch: Rosie.Needhamsmith@emmanuelhouse.org.uk.
