Melksham business funds free counselling for young people

Young people in Wiltshire will be able to access free online counselling thanks to a £50,000 pledge from a Melksham business.

Gompels HealthCare has committed the funding to support Stop.Breathe.Think, an online service run by national youth charity Snow Camp, which provides fast access to professional counselling for young people.

Since 2003, Snow Camp has supported more than 23,000 inner-city young people, using skiing and snowboarding to build confidence, life skills and career opportunities. Gompels has supported the charity since 2014, donating more than £1million to help it expand into Scotland, the Midlands and the North West.

The new pledge ensures young people in Wiltshire can access six sessions of one-to-one counselling and ongoing wellbeing support when they need it most. Referrals are picked up within two working days, helping to avoid long waiting lists or cost barriers.

Sam Gompels said, “Confidence and opportunity are life-changing – but so is knowing someone is there to listen. We believe young people should be able to access professional support quickly and without barriers. We’re proud to back work that delivers real, lasting change.”

Snow Camp recently visited Gompels’ Melksham headquarters this month to mark a partnership that has helped change the lives of thousands of young people across the UK.

Snow Camp founder Dan Charlish, who has received multiple national awards for his work in youth development, said, “Gompels have supported us for more than a decade and that long-term commitment really matters. It gives us stability and allows us to reach more young people who need positive opportunities. We’re hugely grateful for their backing and the partnership we’ve built together.”

The online service is available to all young people in Wiltshire. For more information, visit https://www.stopbreathethink.org.uk/wiltshire/.