A brand-new counselling service has launched in Peasedown St John thanks to a new partnership between Bath Mind and the Peasedown Community Trust.

The initiative will see a counsellor based in the village's community library every Tuesday where residents can, by appointment, receive support, advice and guidance.

Cllr Karen Walker is the Library's Operations Manager. She said: "In England, 1 in 4 people will struggle with their mental health during their lifetime which is why it's important that initiatives like this happen, especially in rural communities.

We're extremely pleased to be working with Bath Mind to provide this new service for local residents. As well as a hub of activity for book exchange, we want to ensure the Library becomes a place where people can come to for help for a wide range of purposes."

Running the counselling sessions will be Bath Mind, a local and independent mental health charity, working at the heart of the community in Bath & North East Somerset. With years of experience in supporting individuals struggling with their mental health, the Peasedown Community Trust invited the charity to start providing this service from the library earlier this year.

Jeanette Sims, Director of Operations at Bath Mind, said: "We're pleased to be working with the Peasedown Community Trust on this new initiative.

We have many clients around the Peasedown and wider Somer Valley area who would benefit from having a local hub where they can visit for counselling support.

Providing a local service for people living in this area has been a priority of ours for a long time, which is why we're delighted to get this new partnership off the ground."

Statistics show that 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (like anxiety and depression) in any given week in England.

On average:

- 8 in 100 people live with mixed anxiety and depression

- 6 in 100 people live with Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

- 4 in 100 people experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

- 3 in 100 people live with depression

- 2% of the population live with some kind of phobia

- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) affects 1 in 100 people

Peasedown Community Trust and Bath Mind's new affordable counselling is open to all residents of Peasedown St John and Somer Valley, aged 16 and over (by appointment)

Sessions start in June and are every Tuesday at Peasedown Community Library which is located at The Hive Community Centre on Bath Road.

To find out more and to book, please email [email protected]