Guernsey Counselling Service (GCS) has been awarded £45,000 over three years from Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands to help expand and sustain accessible counselling services for islanders.
The funding comes at a time of growing demand for mental health support in Guernsey., with the charity supporting significantly more clients in 2025 while also reducing waiting times.
Martin Thornton, Chairman of Guernsey Counselling Service, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands for supporting our work and recognising the importance of accessible mental health services within our community.”
Founded in 2004, Guernsey Counselling Service provides professional counselling and mental health support to adults across the island. The charity supports people experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, bereavement, relationship difficulties, loneliness, stress and major life transitions.
The service operates on a flexible contribution basis, asking clients to pay only what they can afford so that financial circumstances are not a barrier to accessing counselling and emotional support.
Expanding
In 2025, the charity responded to enquiries from 183 potential clients and delivered 798 counselling sessions – a 21% increase on the previous year.
Through changes to its service delivery model and expanded counselling capacity, the organisation has also been able to operate for most of the year without a waiting list, enabling people to access support more quickly when they need it most and providing a counselling option for clients needing longer-term support.
The Lloyds Bank Foundation funding will help Guernsey Counselling Service maintain and further develop its counselling provision over the next three years.
The grant will support operational stability, improve client outcome monitoring, strengthen IT and data systems and help the charity continue delivering timely and affordable access to professional counselling.
Mr Thornton said: “Demand for counselling support continues to grow across the island, and we know that many people would struggle to access private counselling services without charitable support.
“Our aim is to ensure that nobody is prevented from receiving help because of their financial circumstances.
“This funding gives us greater security and stability as we continue improving our services, reducing waiting times and supporting islanders facing a wide range of mental health and wellbeing challenges.”
Over the past year, the charity has undergone significant development, including securing new counselling premises conveniently located in town, increasing counselling capacity through a combination of qualified and trainee counsellors and strengthening community awareness of its services.
Guernsey Counselling Service works closely with local charities, healthcare professionals and government agencies to ensure clients receive appropriate support and referrals where needed. All counsellors and trainee counsellors are professionally supervised and operate within recognised professional standards and ethical frameworks.
The charity hopes the funding will help secure the long-term sustainability of its services while continuing to improve mental health outcomes for people across the Bailiwick.
For more information about Guernsey Counselling Service, to access counselling or to find out how to support the charity’s work, visit www.empathy.org.gg.
