Save our children’s counselling service

Please help me save OPEN MINDS COUNSELLING SERVICE LTD. - every donation will help. It is with a heavy heart I share the awful news that Open Minds Counselling Services has not secured continuation funding for our award-winning counselling service.

This means that we are losing most of our counsellors and management and admin team due to redundancies on 1st June 2025. Our children’s counselling service will be entirely closed after 18 years of supporting the children of Doncaster. We will go from working weekly with 43 children aged 8 and over, and 43 adults, to fewer than 20 adults a week, mostly provided by volunteers.

We want to build ourselves back up, if we can secure alternative sources of funding. However, we have no way of knowing if that will happen, nor how long it will take, as it costs more than £200,000 per annum for our team of 27 employees to run at full capacity 6 days a week, most days between 9am and 7.30pm.

We know this is a devastating loss for Doncaster. There is no comparable support for the hundreds of children we help every year in Doncaster - other charitable counselling costs from £45 to £75 a session, or is for survivors of sexual trauma. Our therapy is free or donation only, and is for anyone on any issue, and most of the kids who come to us have suffered multiple different traumas, including relationship trauma, bereavement and bullying. Most of our clients are on low income and there is nowhere else for them to go for support.

We are holding onto the fact that since 2007 we have supported over 4,000 adults, and 1,500 children through counselling support, with 96% reporting improved mental health and wellbeing, reduced suicidality and improved relationships through our support.

Please check out our website at www.counsellingdoncaster.com or our facebook page www.facebook.com/OpenMindsDoncaster for updates, as and when we know more, and please share this far and wide - help us to save our service!

Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me.

Helen Mason

Managing Director

#IloveDN #doncasterisgreat #charity #fundingcuts

REACTIONS FROM PEOPLE ON LEARNING WE WERE CLOSING:

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I cant thank [the counsellor] Suzi enough for the work she's done with [my child]! I am devastated as a parent!

The difference in [my child] is incredible and the what you've done behind the scenes with school and everything else you've gone above and beyond x

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Shocked to hear this. I cannot understand how such a valuable resource as Open Minds is not funded by NHS who use it as an additional service for clients of mental health services. So short sighted if they let this go, just like Jigsaw and other services for young people

Xx

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This is just devastating news for you all as amazing, committed staff team and for our Community. Everyone at Changing Lives Women's Centre and Community Hub Doncaster send you all our love xx

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This is absolutely heartbreaking... the service you provide for so many is literally life changing and life saving. The government should be funding you and all services that support people with their mental health. I'm so sad to see this. You are all so wonderful in what you do. Xx

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My heart is breaking for you all. Your services are needed now more than ever before. I will always remember what your services did for me and my mental health during my childhood. I’ll never forget the positive impact Helen has had on my life. Thinking of you all xxx

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This is so sad Helen. You and your staff have worked with tireless enthusiasm for many years to help the adults and children in Doncaster. I hope someone somewhere can see the light and see the value your service brings to the area so it may continue.

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I feel so sad for you all. And for all of the young people who will miss out on your vital support.

You supported my son, some years ago now, and I appreciate everything you did for him at open minds. I also know that I would never have been able to afford the support without the funding.

Thank you for everything. And I'm so sorry this is happening x

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I feel really sad for you all in reading this. I remembered when Open Minds first moved in, then watching the project grow to eventually taking over the building.

My heart is breaking for you all and I wish there was something I could do to change this xxx.

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I'm so sorry to hear this. I hope you find the funding needed as the service you provide is vital for many individuals x

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Heartbreaking news! I am so sad to read this, and such a loss for those needing help with their mental health and wellbeing in Doncaster. I really hope you're able to re-build where possible. For now it's a grieving process, with the darkest of days comes the brightest sky.

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My daughter had counselling with you and although it was a disappointing experience I'm gutted for those who it has helped and is helping. Mental health services are shocking as it is.

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I’m so sorry Helen. This is such sad news not only for clients but all the team. Ros Jones and Ed Miliband needs to look into the devastating impact this will have.

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Oh my gosh this is absolutely awful, for you, your staff and also for the children and adults who use/have used/and would have used your services. Both myself and my daughter have benefitted from sessions at Open Minds that have helped us so much and I am beyond upset for what this means for the wider community of Doncaster. So sad.

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Sorry Helen, youve done amazingly and I hope it can continue for the benefit of the community. Feel free to call on me if you need any volunteer hours fulfilling, I absolutely have time for you and the service that I would be happy to volunteer when and if it's needed.

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This is such sad news I’m so sorry to hear this. You do amazing things to help. I wish CAMHS could take your staff on with the waitlist they have too and carry on helping.

…it’s so sad!

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This is another blow to our children. You are needed a million times over and you have helped so many young lives...a very sad day

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I’m so sad to hear this news

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Really sad news for you all and for Doncaster

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Absolutely devastating my son worked with Louise for two years back when he was younger and the service, people and support, just everything really was out of this world. I’m really sad about this, such a huge loss for Doncaster children

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I'm so sad to here this news... I have met ppl who have used your services. Thankyou to you all for all your hard work...I hop things pick up in the future xx

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Devastating news Open Minds Counselling Service . An incredible service that has benefitted so many in Doncaster. Keeping everything crossed for you to secure alternative funding to rebuild this service in the future.

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This is just awful , so sorry Helen and the full team

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Sorry to hear this sad news

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This is very sad news.

Having seen how hard management constantly worked to maintain finance for adult and children's services, chasing pockets of money, I'm equally saddened for them. This decision won't have been made lightly. Do hope they're OK too.

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So sorry to hear this terrible news Helen.

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This is such sad news. I hope you are able to secure funding in the future x

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Such a loss to the community

All the best for future funding

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Sad news to hear

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So sorry Helen - that’s deeply saddening news

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This is terrible news . Please if anyone can help with funding contact Helen at Open Minds as this service is so valuable and very much needed :-

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Really sorry to hear this sad news Helen. You and your team do amazing work and support so many people. It’s a huge loss for Doncaster.

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Sorry to hear this sad news Helen you all work so hard to help people xx

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That’s awful news. Hope you manage to figure something out.

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Very sad news

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So sad x

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This is so wrong, our young people need your support. Money needs to be invested in such important services x

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Your services are needed more than ever and they don't give you guys funding its disgusting then they wonder why there is people out there that feel the need to try/take their own lives absolutely gutted for you guys you do a great job and don't deserve this

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Now more than ever metal health services are needed and once again I’m appalled that funding isn’t being made available to help support our next generation and adults. It seems an airport is more important than the mental health of our communities.

You all do an amazing job and I’m absolutely gutted for you all. Let’s hope someone rethinks their decisions because the impact it will have not only on the people that need it the most but other services who are running beyond capacity

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That’s devastating news for the district it is services like yours that need secure funding so sorry for you all xx

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So sorry to hear this

Client Feedback

How did counselling help you? What did we do well?

1. Listened, talked me through all the grief I have been feeling, made me realise that it was not my fault

2. Helped with my mental health and feelings in general I have a long way to go but I feel as though I am now on the right track to heal going forward.

3. My counsellor was very friendly and an excellent listener I would recommend this service.

4. It helped me to unpack certain things that felt very “stuck” in my head.

5. Increased my self-awareness and also being able to see situations more rationally rather than emotionally charged.

6. Gave me useful tools to help cope with stress and anxiety.

7. My counsellor listened.

8. Having a friendly ear was a lot of what I needed. A sounding board , if you like, I don’t have any others to talk to and my counsellor helped me to understand that I cannot change others however hard I try so I need to change how I can help myself.

9. We spoke lots about finding things just for myself. He helped me to pause and think before I reacted to my wife’s desire to argue . Helped me to understand that she wasn’t always getting at me but she was venting her frustrations and hurt with her own life.

10. Gave me better coping strategies and taught me to be kind to myself it’s just a brilliant service would definitely recommend to others.

11. Finding me the help I needed and supporting me through until it was in place.

12. Helped me understand my feelings better.

13. Felt heard and given space to figure things out.

14. Good communication.

15. My therapist was amazing! Great at listening and had in depth knowledge around different studies and research which he was able to able to do further research in my own time between sessions too.

16. Really helpful and reliable service, thank you.

17. Listened to my many problems I didn't get judged and some good tips on how to cope

18. Listened, validated me and challenged some unhelpful negative thinking patterns

19. You listened, advised and gave ideas

20. My counsellor was very patient and sympathetic but gave very good strong answers and advice to my horrendous situation.

21. When I first attended, I can’t even remember the day I came, I was in such a state of shock but as the weeks went by came my counsellor built me up mentally and physically.

22. All my friends have noticed a great difference in me. My counsellor did a fantastic job.

23. I struggled with anxiety and depression. I was taking medication to help me cope with everyday life. At my first session, I was unhappy, constantly worrying about everything, having thoughts of self-harm, and being useless in general, which was a result of what has happened in my life. With time (after a few sessions), I started to notice a difference. Anything small could still trigger me, as well as constant worrying was still there, but depression seemed to be fading. From 7th-8th session I've noticed a huge change. I stopped taking medication, originally because I keep forgetting to take them, but later I've found myself completely fine while not taking them. Sometimes negative thoughts are still with me but I started to focus on myself and my needs, as I had too much problems to do that, and feel better. I still have a problem with stress, but while being under the stress, I don't have negative and self-harm thoughts, which I had. I think that's still an improvement. I used to be very confused and overwhelmed by the way I was feeling, but not anymore. By therapy sessions I was able to understand what was going on in my head, and what caused that (in some ways). Huge, huge, thank you for your help. :)

24. Someone to discuss my problems with and feel at ease knowing I am supported and it is okay to feel the way I do.

25. Everything

26. Helped me strengthen my thoughts out and helped me to get past my past and present issues

27. I had someone to listen

28. It taught me that it’s better to talk about your problem

29. Everything my counsellor said was so relatable, never had that with other organisations

30. It made me be a stronger person

31. Safe space to talk and felt heard and listened to but also receive support and useful strategies

32. Great communication with head office and very flexible with session times

33. Exploring ways of coping and dealing with stresses presenting at the time

34. Nice to talk to someone who actually listens

35. Enable a safe space with no judgement and an impartial listening ear to help unpick and suggest alternative ways of managing situations. My counsellor was an amazing support and has helped massively through a very difficult period.

36. Felt like a stress of my shoulders

37. Always kept appointment times and was able to freely talk about my problems without being judged

38. Feel I have an excellent counsellor, who shows a lot of sensitivity and understanding

39. Just keep doing what you are doing. You all are doing a fantastic Job. Where would people like me who have been hurt so desperately go without you people to help us. We are very few considering the population but we all count. And to have somewhere to come to when we are rock bottom. Also we have probably been trying to deal with our problems for a very long time and covering up. You are our last resort. Please stay and help as many as possible

40. I'm not sure, but I can say you did help me. Maybe not in 100%, but mental health is more complicated than a physical injury. Still, from walking on needles every day to being able to look forward - I think that's an improvement. And I think that matters the most.

41. Open Minds had helped me beyond words, I was feeling so stuck , now I feel like I can move forward, having someone to just talk to ( who was not family or friend) meant I could totally open up in a way most of us wouldn’t with someone you know . I feel so much lighter , and able to understand other perspectives beside my own . I can’t thank stress how important Open Minds as a service must be helping so many people like me , thank you Open Minds

42. I feel more able to 'move on' for the first time in many years

43. Just think ten weekly sessions, is not quite long enough, but what yous have done for me has made a real big difference without it. I don’t think I could have got through it to where I am today, Thank you so much

44. A great resource to have available. It's helped me so much I even 'look forward' to my sessions

45. Very homely atmosphere and safe space to talk.

46. I feel I have got a wonderful counselling relationship with my counsellor and would recommend Open Minds to others. I feel so very privileged to have received this opportunity and feel sure it is helping me to embark on a new chapter in my life.

47. It helped with thoughts and how to manage things

48. My counsellor is extremely kind, understanding and patient, and she has helped me cope with trauma and my anxiety, and always gives very helpful suggestions about what I can do to improve my wellbeing or how to resolve any conflicts with family. She has helped me with guilt and social anxiety, and she is very supportive when I talk about any issue! <3.

49. I feel much healthier and more able to cope after receiving counselling at Open Minds! :)

50. It was so helpful to speak to someone not involved, to understand what I was feeling was normal and to have someone who would listen and give coping strategies. I also found it very useful to have someone who explained that I wasn't a weak person and what I was going through took strength. The counselling has helped me in so many ways. Most importantly it has helped me get through the toughest time of my life, when I didn't see any future or couldn't see how I was ever going to get through the situation. I honestly don't know how I would have done it without the amazing help, guidance and support.

51. Listened, supported, understanding, patience

52. It keeps me on an even keel

53. I think everything was done good. If I didn't want to do an exercise, it was respected.

54. Your staff are all very polite on entering. Nice smiling faces especially when you feel worthless. A lovely smile and greeting means a lot.

55. open minds is a really great and accessible service ❤️

* Feedback is from clients who completed anonymous feedback forms