New centre in Lowestoft for Catalyst to extend its services

Held on World Mental Health Day, the unveiling of the new centre for Catalyst Counselling marked a special anniversary.

The unveiling of its new base at 11 Surrey Street in Lowestoft came as Catalyst Counselling celebrated its 10-year anniversary as a social enterprise on October 10.

Inside an interview room at the new centre for Catalyst Counselling in Lowestoft. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes)

Two years ago, the organisation was named the best not-for-profit counselling service in the south east of the country.

Timed to coincide with World Mental Health Day, it is a new base and a new era for Catalyst Counselling, whose centre was previously located at 44 Alexandra Road.

For with the move to the new centre they will now be able to "extend their services and training."

Director of Catalyst Counselling CIC Aaron Davis. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes) Offering mental health support and training for employers across Norfolk and Suffolk from Lowestoft, Aaron Davis, director of Catalyst Counselling CIC, said the staff were delighted to welcome Lowestoft MP Jess Asato, and the MP's communications manager, George King, to perform the opening ceremony.

Mr Davis said: "Catalyst was founded as a charity, then Waveney Counselling Service, in 1990 with the purpose of providing high-quality, low cost, longer-term counselling to those in the local community who would not otherwise be able to afford, or access, such a service."

With the centre also running its own four-year counsellor training programme to full qualification, this enables Catalyst to maintain the quality and standards of the service offered.

"The aim has always been to adapt to the changing needs of the local community," Mr Davis said.

World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2024 was marked by the unveiling of a new centre for Catalyst Counselling in Lowestoft. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes) With the theme of this year's World Mental Health Day being supporting mental health in the workplace, Mr Davis said: "As we’ve developed the business of the social enterprise we have continued to build our connections with local employers, businesses and the voluntary sector, in offering time-limited counselling services and training to their employees and service users."

They also held "a helpful discussion" with Mrs Asato about the changing and growing awareness of the wide-ranging mental health needs of the local population and how these are to be met in the future.

Mr Davis said: "The new premises gives Catalyst an opportunity to extend their services and training with a view to helping meet some of these needs."