Heads Together 2025: Supporting Affordable Counselling and Community Mental Health This Winter
Winter can be a difficult time for many people. Shorter days, financial pressures and the emotional intensity of the Christmas period often contribute to increased stress, loneliness and anxiety.
At Renew Counselling and Training we see this need rising every year. More individuals come to us seeking support and many explain that they simply cannot afford the counselling they urgently need.
In response, we launched Heads Together last year, our winter mental health campaign designed to fund affordable counselling sessions for people in Essex. This year, the campaign returns, and early support from local businesses and community partners suggests it may be our most impactful yet.
The idea behind Heads Together is that when our community comes together, no one has to face winter alone.
Every donation helps fund counselling sessions for people who are struggling with their mental health and unable to pay for support. Behind each contribution is a real person who may finally have the space to talk, reflect, and begin to move forward.
Why Our Winter Mental Health Campaign Matters
Access to counselling can be transformative but for many people, cost remains a significant barrier. Our therapists regularly hear from individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, relationship difficulties and overwhelming life pressures, but they cannot afford to seek help.
This is where Heads Together makes a difference. By raising funds to help us provide low-cost and subsidised counselling, we can ensure that when someone reaches out, we can say “yes,” regardless of their financial situation.
This campaign also plays a wider role in raising awareness of mental health in winter, a season when wellbeing challenges often peak.
What Renew Is Doing This Winter
This year’s campaign includes a range of activities designed to increase awareness, encourage community involvement and raise essential funds for local mental health support services.
Our largest Christmas Hamper Raffle to date
Thanks to generous donations from local businesses across Essex, we are able to offer four brilliant prizes in our Christmas Hamper Raffle. Entrants could get their hands on:
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Grand Prize: Overnight stay for two with breakfast at The County Hotel and a festive hamper
Our other hampers include:
- Afternoon Tea for 2 at Tiptree Tearooms
- £100 Harry Flashman’s Tattoo voucher
- Relaxing massage at The Beauty Rooms
- Original painting by trustee Ruth O’Neill
- Vintage Moroccan Berber cushion from Maroc Tribal
Plus lots more festive treats!
Heads Together Days across Renew’s teams
Renew staff will be hosting our own fundraising days, wearing festive hats and seasonal headwear and helping to spread information about the importance of winter mental health support. We will also be attending seasonal community events with campaign materials and raffle tickets.
Sharing insights about mental health during winter
Throughout the campaign we will share reflections from our team, insights into the counselling process, and information about the growing need for accessible mental health services in Essex. Our goal is to promote understanding and reduce the stigma around seeking support.
How You Can Support Heads Together
We want individuals, schools, workplaces and community organisations to feel able to take part in ways that feel authentic and manageable. Here are some meaningful ways to support the campaign:
Buy a ticket for our Christmas Hamper Raffle
Every raffle ticket sold directly supports our low-cost counselling service. With four prizes available, this is a great way to get involved – and potentially win some great prizes!
Host a Heads Together Day in your school or workplace
Invite colleagues, pupils or staff to wear a Santa hat or festive headwear and make a small donation. It creates a sense of community while helping fund vital mental health support in the local area.
Hold a cake sale or mini raffle
Whether it’s a bake sale in the staff room or a small raffle with donated prizes, community fundraising events like these make a significant impact.
Help us raise awareness
Display a Heads Together poster in your school, office, café or community building. Share our campaign on social media. Start conversations about mental health and the importance of accessible counselling in winter.
Awareness is one of the most powerful tools we have.
Let’s put our Heads Together to support Mental Health across Essex this Winter
Heads Together is a reminder that our community can come together to make a tangible difference.
By supporting the campaign, you help ensure that no one has to wait for the counselling they need.
To make a donation please visit:
https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/renewheadstogether
Thank you for helping us make this winter a little lighter.
You can download the Heads Together poster and social media cards below:
