FUNDING for a specialist counsellor has been given to a centre in Harwich that provides therapy and support for children and adults.

The charity arm of the Anglian Community Enterprise, which provides health services across north-east Essex, has donated £4,600 to the ArkCentre inDovercourt.

Lawrie Payne, chairman of the Anglian Community Trust, said: “The Ark Centre is about helping young people within our community who have health and wellbeing problems.

"These are vulnerable children – we wanted to support them and help give them a good start.”

The Ark Centre provides one-to-one counselling and play therapy for children and adults.

Sally Jones-Green, of the Ark Centre, said the funding had allowed the centre to employ a specialist counsellor and, as a result, would mean less pressure on local health services.

For more details about the trust, go to angliancommunity trust.org