Over 80 people filled the Masonic Hall back in October to celebrate Kernos’ 5th anniversary. BBC Radio 4’s Libby Purves was our guest speaker. She spoke about the need for greater support for people coping with mental illness. Ms Purves, a Suffolk resident, recalled an incident in which a close friend had pleaded for counselling support for her adolescent son - during an emergency telephone call - only to be told there would be a three month wait.
We were hugely grateful that Ms Purves gave us her time and support despite her heavy workload and being due in London early the next morning to present mid-week.
John Sayers, Sudbury’s Mayor, opened the evening and said that the centre provided an invaluable contribution to the wellbeing of the local community. Director of Counselling Chris Boatwright reiterated the importance of being able to offer low-cost counselling to those who would otherwise not be able to afford help. And Brian Turner, one of the Directors, highlighted the difficulty Kernos was having in attracting enough funds to meet a growing demand for counselling.
Thank you to everyone who made donations or other offers of help on the evening. Thank you also to the Sudbury Masons for the donation of the Hall for the evening.