A charity that has supported thousands of vulnerable young people over three decades has marked its 30th year in Essex by holding a grand opening of its renovated headquarters in Chelmsford.
The Children’s Society, whose East of England hub is based in Springfield Road, runs services across Essex to support children, young people and families with a range of issues including drugs and alcohol, caring responsibilities, domestic violence and sexual exploitation.
On Friday Chelmsford City Councillor Dick Madden cut a ribbon to mark the opening of The Children’s Society’s new offices, which have been extensively refurbished and fitted out with the charity’s new black and white logo.
Amie Craven, Service Manager at The Children’s Society in Essex, said: “Today was a chance for us to celebrate our achievements over the past three decades, working to give vulnerable children the decent start in life they deserve.
"After 30 years of hard work there is still a desperate need for support services for young carers, and victims of domestic violence and sexual exploitation, and that’s why we’re so pleased that our refurbished hub in Chelmsford will enable us to help even more young people from across Essex in the years to come.”
One young person who has been supported by the charity said: “The Children’s Society have helped me a lot.
"They have helped me get back into school and exams.
"I like telling my worker things that I am doing which is now good and sharing this with her. It's good to meet and talk about things weekly.”
Earlier this year the charity started a new service for young people in Essex who have been sexually exploited.
The service, funded with the help of a £300,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund, provides specialist support to help victims recover from trauma and protect them from future harm.
The Children’s Society’s longest running service in the county, the Essex Young People’s Drug and Alcohol Service (EYPDAS), supports children, young people and their families who are affected by drugs and alcohol, whether it’s their own use or someone else’s.
The service is based in Chelmsford but works across the county.
The charity also delivers drug and alcohol services – known as Choices – across the county in partnership with Open Road.
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