President Steve with Lisa Mulherin
Two years ago, we had an inspiring talk from a youth work manager at The Market Place, Richard Corry. Rotarian Jean Clennell informed us that The Market Place has been an invaluable resource for young people at Roundhay School over the years. We were able to support Market Place to help equip their counselling suite.
For over 30 years The Market Place has offered free counselling services to thousands of troubled young people in Leeds. Like other mental health charities they offer a drop-in service, and up to six weeks counselling to those going through personal crisis. But their ‘icing on the cake’ has been long term help for those who need more intense support because of multiple adverse childhood experiences. Over the years The Market Place has been able to offer those troubled teenagers a safe place where given time, they can come to terms with the causes of their symptoms. They have been able to give them up to a year’s support, and in exceptional circumstances longer than that.
All seemed well until at the end of June 2024 when their chief executive Lisa Mulherin went on BBC TV’s Look North to speak of a serious funding crisis the charity was facing. The NHS, which had been a major source of revenue for the charity, had made a decision to switch its funding to a national provider. Lisa fears that the long term counselling will be lost in the new arrangements, and determined to carry on if further financial support could be obtained.
Lisa came to our club on 29 July and outlined the plans for the future. The service has had to be significantly slimmed down for the present.
Crowd funding has already raised some money and more is promised from Children in Need. Counselling is to be offered to adults for a fee, and all profits will go to subsidise the free service for young people.
Lisa told us they were confident they can deliver roughly one third of support they did previously. This is seen as a means of surviving on a smaller scale, until they can rebuild.
At our club, we pride ourselves is helping worthwhile causes which consistently make significant positive impacts in the local community. At a recent meeting following Lisa’s talk, the club members voted unanimously to make a substantial donation to The Market Place.
We hope that our donation can provide some encouragement to continue their good work.