Minister Visits Western Counselling

On Thursday 1st December Anne Milton, Minister for Health with responsibility for Public Health, took time out of her busy schedule to visit Weston-super-Mare for a day. We were delighted that she accepted our inivitation to come and meet Western Counselling and Lighthouse Weston to see first hand the work we are doing in the town.  We were also joined by John Penrose MP who had visited the Lighthouse Cafe earlier in the year and was very encouraged by the work going on there.

Ms Milton spent time with us and Lighthouse Weston, discussing the partnership work we do to help our Secondary clients to help them learn vital life and social skills by, for example, volunteering in the Lighthouse Cafe during the summer, helping at Kings Table and undertaking various courses offered by Lighthouse.  She also spent time with clients in our day centre at 18 Whitecross Road, where she talked to them about their recovery, their families, their future plans and the treatment they were receiving at Western Counselling.

It was a rewarding day for all the staff and clients at the centre as, together with our local MP John Penrose, we were able to discuss the issues that are current affecting those in the residential rehab sector.  Ms Milton was very conversant with the issues we face and it was a very useful discussion. We were also pleased to facilitate a meeting between the Minister the local CSDAT and Cllr Felicity Baker (responsible for community safety) to discuss other aspects of work ongoing in North Somerset.