Founder of Blackpool counselling service charity recognised with Points Of Light award from Prime Minister

Counselling In The Community was awarded the daily ‘Points Of Light’ award on 29 June 2022, to recognise the positive work the charity has done on the Fylde Coast.

Stuart Hutton-Brown is manager and founder of the counselling service. His team helps over 130 adults and children at their hubs on Derby Road and Waterloo Road.

Winners get a certificate and a personal letter from Boris Johnson.

He said: “It is an absolute honour to be nominated for this award. I am so privileged to work with 40 amazing volunteers at Counselling in the Community. We [offered] over 6000 counselling hours last year alone. Covid has added a whole new level to Mental Health, I am just so relieved our service is able to help so many people.”

The service became a registered charity in 2021, but has been providing services to adults and children across the Fylde coast since 2017.

They offer in-person and telephone counselling for issues including depression, anxiety and trauma, and act as a lifeline for people who are stuck on long NHS waiting lists.

The Points Of Light Award has previously been awarded to Blackpool brothers, Luke and John Conway, in 2021 for setting up an LGBTQ+ support network.

And in 2018 it went to paramedics, Dan Farnworth and Rich Morton - the founders of Our Blue Light, a charity that supports the mental health and wellbeing of emergency workers.