Caring for the wellbeing of our community
Where did we start?
A Time 2 Talk was established in December 2016, following a year long trial to assess the need of counselling for older people. Due to the generosity of Disability North, we were able to set up this trial, and Disability North have continued to supported us throughout the years that we have provided counselling and wellbeing to our clients. We have three qualified counsellors, and three student placement counsellors who are in their final year of training.
The team members are all non-salaried and / or volunteers and from August 2024 to July 2025, A Time 2 Talk counsellors have provided a staggering £18,720 in counselling hours for free. Our administrative team also provide their time for free too, ensuring the office functions as smoothly as possible.
What have we done?
As of July 2025
1192+
Counselling hours
The number of counselling hours varies from client to client. We pride ourselves on giving clients the time they need to deal with their issues, without the pressure of limited sessions.
370+
Referrals
The referrals we receive have been from individuals, partnership organisations, GP surgeries, Local Authority services and charities.
254+
Assessments
Our assessments are delivered in confidence and we look to place a client with the counsellor they need, depending on the issues they are bringing to counselling. This ensures the client gets the best possible support.
223+
Clients
Supporting clients is our aim and we are pleased to have been able to give these people our expertise, in most cases, for free. We are grateful for all the donations that we receive, as they enable us to keep the service available.
115+
Wellbeing sessions
There are 5 ways to wellbeing, taking notice, keeping active, learning, giving and being connected. Our wellbeing groups give people the opportunity to talk to others who are in similar situations, (being connected) whilst encouraging participation in the other 4 ways to wellbeing.
570+
Wellbeing attendances
The people who attend the wellbeing sessions have discovered that everyone has similar thoughts and feelings about their own situations. This discovery encourages people to share and feel better about their own circumstances.
103+
Social sessions
Research has taught us that bringing people together to join in an activity is a tonic, and our craft group for the visually impaired that started as a trial in 2023 has been such a success that we are still going. Take a peek at our gallery showcasing the variety of crafts taken up.
466+
Social attendances
People have participated in learning new skills and completed some great craft items, they met socially, share stories, and build up friendships inside and outside of the group meetings too.
100%
Positive feedback
We value the feedback from our clients and pride ourselves on the 100% positive feed back that we have received and retained over the years. All clients are given the opportunity to provide us with feedback, from the individual counselling and our group sessions.
31+
Links in the community
Linking with other organisations is important to us. We keep up to date reading newsletters and bulletins to further expanded our knowledge of local authorities and support networks available to the community for our clients.
3
Trainee counsellors
A Time 2 Talk started with three qualified counsellors, losing one due to a change in her personal circumstances. We are lucky to have a placement student remain with A Time 2 Talk after she had qualified and has continued to deliver counselling sessions for free. We have three trainees, who are in their final year of training, as placement students.
6
Christmas Fayres
Each December we have a Christmas Fayre, to raise funds, and to have some fun! There is always a cuppa on offer and some amazing cakes to be had. People’s generosity overwhelms us every year. The raffle prize donations, peoples time, and those who work behind the scenes to make it happen.