Bath based mental health charity, Trauma Breakthrough, have announced that from the start of April 2023 they are providing all their support services to trauma survivors at no cost to them.

The move comes after a rise of over 2000% in people needing their services since the start of 2020. For the last ten years, Trauma Breakthrough, who cover the South West, has provided specialist counselling and therapy for people whose mental health has been affected by trauma and abuse, and has supported the community throughout the pandemic and other times of crisis.

Trauma Breakthrough’s CEO Giles Lascelle said: “This is something we have wanted to do for a very long time. The help available on the NHS for those affected by trauma is extremely limited, and most people have to wait months or even years to be seen.

“It has never seemed right that survivors of trauma and abuse should have to pay to get the mental health support they need, and with the current cost of living crisis, many of the people we help are struggling to make ends meet. They have nothing left over to be able to make a contribution towards the cost of the support they receive from us.

“Providing our help free of charge is going to stretch our limited resources, but we feel it is of vital importance.”

The charity emphasises that the help they offer still costs money to provide, and they will be running a number of fundraising campaigns over coming months to help cover the costs.

Anyone wanting to make a donation or to sponsor specialist support sessions can find out more on the charity’s website at: www.traumabreakthrough.org/support-us/