Burnham-On-Sea charity Somewhere House Somerset has won the prestigious 2023 Prince of Wales Award – jointly sponsored by the Duchy of Cornwall and the Royal Bath & West of England Society.
Rob Jones and Mike Turner, Trustees of Somewhere House Somerset, attended the presentation ceremony at the Royal Bath and West Show, as pictured here.
This small charity is run by volunteers and has been operating for over 12 years, currently supporting over 150 people per week.
It provides one-to-one counselling to people in the local community, for as long as they need it and simply asks for a donation of what they can afford for their sessions.
The counsellors, who are all fully qualified, support the charity and the community by charging a reduced rate.
The charity fundraisers organise community events and seek grant funding to ensure the charity covers the minimal operating costs of the service and allow everyone, regardless of their financial standing, to receive the support they need.
Alongside the counselling, the charity holds coffee and chat events held in the community in multiple locations and educational workshops on the dangers of substance misuse delivered into local schools and colleges.
Rob Jones, Trustee, says: “Many of the volunteers we have, including at board level, have had their own struggles with mental health, addiction, and trauma. Some of the team are former clients of the charity and now give their time to help others, just as others did for them in their time of need. The motto ‘paying it forward’ really does signify what we do and is testament to the people who volunteer for the charity.”
He added that the entire Somewhere House Team has expressed their thanks for the award.
Mike Turner, Trustee, adds: “Winning an award like this, is a huge achievement for a Charity like Somewhere House Somerset – this is one of the proudest achievements in its history and I am very proud to be part of the hard working team.”
“The charity was started by one family back in 2011 who realised that people in the community needed help. They supported and backed it and do so to this day. Their drive to help and care others is worthy of special mention. An award like this really does re-affirm why the charity exists and succeeds in it’s work today.”
