WINCHESTER Round Table recently presented a sizable donation to a youth charity. 

A giant cheque for £8,000 was handed over to Winchester Youth Counselling on Thursday, April 25. 

Round Table chairman Joe Spencer said: “Winchester Round Table does a lot of events throughout the year including Pedal Paddle Pace, the bonfire and the Santa sleigh. Mental health is really important to me and I've chosen Winchester Youth Counselling as a charity to support this year. We use some of the funds we raise throughout the year to support Winchester Youth Counselling. People can apply to us and we're happy to donate.”

The Round Table is also supporting Winchester Pregnancy Crisis Centre, the Nightshelter, Winchester Penguins Swimming Club, Stop Domestic Abuse and M&D. The Round Table's next fundraising event is Pedal Paddle Pace on July 7. 

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Winchester Youth Counselling founder Jill Guppy said: “We do outdoor work with young people. We do individual walk and talk therapy sessions and we're looking to do more of that. We're in the process of recruiting another walk and talk counsellor and we're going to put on sessions in some of the rural areas of the district. We're basing some of that in Alresford and the southern parishes. 

“Also our nature therapy group, the money will be very useful to support that. It's an outdoor group for people aged 11-16, most of whom are autistic or identify as neurodiverse. The sessions take place weekly, during term time and it's great to have the funding to support us running them. 

“We're extremely grateful to the Round Table because they have been very generous on numerous occasions with proceeds from the bonfire particularly. So to have this amount of money is really kind. It shows the real support from the community and without that the charity wouldn't exist.”

For more details, visit winchesteryouthcounselling.org.