PETERSFIELD Counselling Service celebrated its 30th anniversary and thousands of hours of counselling at a get together of members past and present.

Launched in 1987, the charity aims to provide affordable sessions to anyone in the Petersfield area who needs them, or is referred to it by their doctors.

Trustees’ chairman Robert Gussman said: “It was a wonderful afternoon, and there were a good 40 people there.

“One lady who was there has let us use her house for counselling sessions since we began in 1987 until now.

“We are a small local charity, and since we started we estimate we have completed 40,000 hours of counselling, which probably means we have seen 4,000 or 5,000 clients.”

Now the service has 16 professionally trained counsellors who give their time for nothing to keep fees affordable for people using the service – each year they offer about 1,200 hours of counselling.

The service was set up by a doctor with the support of Petersfield churches, and the GP arranged for the service to use rooms in the hospital, but now they are needed by the hospital.

Mr Gussman said: “There is some work being done at the hospital and we find ourselves in the unfortunate position of having to hire more rooms elsewhere.

“Clients fees don’t cover our running costs, and we rely on donations.”

Petersfield Mayor Jamie Matthews and East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds were at the celebration, held last Saturday (October 7) at Petersfield Methodist Church.

“There was an array of cakes, and of course a 30th birthday cake,” said Mr Gussman, who lives in Liss.

He added: “Counselling is about listening and offering clients the space to find their own way forward.

“Supporting them in understanding past events, worries about the future or lack of confidence, can be helpful in providing change and helping you to find the direction in your life that you are seeking.

“Counsellors do not offer advice or make judgements, rather assist you in creating the space in which you can make your own choices.”

For details, visit: www.petersfieldcounsellingservice.co.uk