LISTEN: Lancaster mental health charity holds Valentine's Ball to support its vital work

A Lancaster charity will hold a Valentine's Ball as part of a fundraising drive to help continue its vital work with young people.

A.C.E will host a Valentine's Charity Ball on Saturday February 14 at Lancaster University with a three course meal, games and entertainment, and live music.

The charity, based on Sun Street in Lancaster, works with children and young people aged 10 to 25 in the Lancaster and Morecambe District, helping them with their mental health.

Sally Temple, founder and trustee, and Julian Prior, interim CEO, spoke to Beyond Radio about the work of A.C.E and the upcoming Valentine's Charity Ball.

LISTEN to Julian Prior and Sally Temple talking about A.C.E

Below, Sally Temple speaks to Beyond Radio's Greg Lambert

A.C.E, which stands for Achieve Change and Engagement, was founded 18 years ago when Sally was commissioned by the NHS to find out the mental health needs of young people.

The charity helps children and young people whose mental health has been negatively affected by experiencing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), to support them to improve their mental health and build emotional resilience.

The team delivers one-to-one person centred, solution focused, goal-based work, counselling, trauma therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy using a variety of methods to meet low to medium mental health needs of children and young people. 

They work collaboratively with families and other organisations and services to support progression and recovery, taking referrals from professionals, parents, carers and young people themselves.

"Over many years there has been a growing need for people needing support with mental health challenges," said Julian.

"A.C.E. makes a massive difference for young people who are really struggling with all sorts of things that are giving them anxiety.

"To have a safe space where they can talk that through with somebody who is trained and skilled to be able to help them process some of the challenges young people have in the world today, can make a huge difference to their lives and the lives of parents and carers around them as well."

Sally said: "We are based in Lancaster but we have always believed that we make access for the young person as easy as possible.

"So we also have places in Morecambe that we work out of, so as near to the young person, so it's easy for them to get to, and if possible in familiar surroundings to them.

"For a lot of young people it's a big step to seek help, so we want to make it as easy as possible for them to get that help. The first meeting could even be online, as some of the young people we work with are so anxious they have difficulty leaving the house.

"The aim of the clinician is to build up a positive therapeutic relationship with the young person, working with them to find out what it is they need.

"One mother said to us, 'I think you saved my son's life'."

The charity relies on external funding and Julian said this has been "hugely challenging" and "becoming increasingly difficult".

"We are at a crunch point, we need to raise somewhere in the region of £50,000 by the summer in order to be able to continue the work that we're doing.

"It definitely is a time where we need to get the word out there that if people value the service, we need their help.

"The ball is going to be a fantastic night. We will share more about what the charity does, with raffle prizes and an auction, and we're really encouraging people to come along, so we can get this fundraising push off to a great start."

You can book tickets HERE.

A.C.E are also looking for donations of raffle prizes and/or sponsorship for this event.

Please contact them at fundraising@a-c-e.org.uk if you feel that you can help.

You can find out more about A.C.E HERE.