£1100 boost for vulnerable children to help make a kinder, safer community

Twelve sessions of play therapy to help support vulnerable children are being provided by a new group to make Weston-super-Mare and Worle in Somerset a kinder, safer community.

ROC WSM have given £1100 to help three children at risk of exclusion to receive 12 sessions of play therapy delivered by qualified counsellor and therapist Yvonne Britton.

ROC WSM launched the Dragons’ Den competition in October in partnership with the North Somerset Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) who gave £4,000 to causes to help reduce crime.

Yvonne, pictured with ROC WSM leaders Dave and Penny Hynds, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to receive this funding. This grant will enable me to do a short term piece of work with three children in North Somerset; children who are on the exclusion pathway who, if not reached, will often sadly end up heading down a path of crime.

“Play therapy is an amazing tool that enables the participants to engage with their emotions at an often unconscious level.

“They are often not aware they are processing past hurts but it is really successful in helping the children. I have been a play therapist for a number of years now, and have seen many children benefit greatly from the process. 

“They were helped with issues such as around eating, inability to engage with peers to issues around anger and even non-attendance at school. 

“It is not a magic cure, but by the nature of the work all do appear to come away with something positive.”

ROC Leaders Dave and Penny Hynds said: “In these extraordinary times we are eager to build upon the huge community response seen during lockdown, to harness the creativity and entrepreneurship of individuals and groups to help build safer and kinder communities in Weston-super-Mare. 

“The funding is to seed small projects that may go on to become self-sustaining and carry on for years, to provide the impetus to make a difference. We are delighted to support Yvonne.”

The scheme has previously run successfully in Keighley and Bradford East, West Yorkshire in partnership with ROC