Progress Cymru Counselling

About Us

With your help, we can make progress.

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Our Mission

We support LGBTQ+ people in Wales with their mental health and wellbeing through counselling that ensures clients feel seen, heard, and valued. By focusing on long-term support, we help individuals build autonomy and resilience for the future.

Our Vision

Pioneering the best support for LGBTQ+ people in Wales through accessible, affirming counselling, building a stronger, more resilient community

Our Values

Inclusivity

Respect

Integrity

Compassion

Excellence

Collaboration

Our Journey of Progress

Progress Cymru Counselling began as the LGBT+ Cymru Helpline. Founded 20 years ago by our CEO Debbie Lane, the organisation was born from a desire to provide a safe space and confidential support for the LGBTQ+ community in Wales. Over the years, this passion has only grown. In 2006, we introduced counselling to provide more in-depth mental health support. Our commitment to accessibility means we offer both in-person counselling at our Swansea office and online counselling for those who can’t attend in person.

 

Scroll left to see our history

Founded
Debbie Lane (She/Her) launched the LGBT+ Cymru Helpline in Swansea, offering a much-needed telephone support service for the LGBT+ community. It was the start of our mission to provide compassionate, confidential support.
June 2004
Introduced Counselling Services
We recognised that many people needed more support with their mental health, so we began offering professional and qualified counselling. It was a key step in providing a safe space for individuals to talk through their challenges and quite literally saving lives.
2007
Collabration
We were thrilled to receive lottery funding, which allowed us to expand our services and make an even bigger impact.
2014
Online Counselling Launches
To better serve those who couldn’t make it to in-person sessions, we launched online counselling. This made it easier for people to access our support from anywhere in Wales.
September, 2018
More National Lottery Funding
The National Lottery continued to support us with additional funding, allowing us to offer counselling to even more individuals and enhance our services.
2020
Swansea Rainbow Counselling Centre Opens
We proudly named the counselling side of LGBT+ Cymru Helpline "the Swansea Rainbow Counselling Centre" to be inclusive of our allies. Offering a dedicated space where we could offer high-quality counselling services.
PRIDE Night Celebration
We celebrated our PRIDE Night event, reflecting on the Pride Film and the Real-Life events, with Mal Pope, Sian James and Jonathan Blake from the LGSM, celebrating the solidarity and vibrant spirit of our community, allowing us to raise money for the charity.
2023
Introducing Progress Cymru Counselling
Debbie started the charity as a helpline in 2004, however over the years it has developed into a counselling service for LGBT+ people and our allies. To reflect our main focus and to unify the two parts of the charity, we’re excited to share that Progress Cymru Counselling has now been born!
June, 2004
PCS Donation
We received a generous boost from the PCS Union, which helped us grow and extend our reach to more people who needed our support.
April, 2006
Community Spirit Award
Our dedication was celebrated when Debbie Lane, CEO, won the Community Spirit Award at the Cardiff Mardi Gras. It was an honour that underscored her commitment to the community.
July, 2010
Co-Founded GoodVibes
We co-founded GoodVibes, an LGBT+ Youth Group, with YMCA Swansea, a project aimed at offering a safe and inclusive space for people to be able to be themselves.
2015
Social Media Presence Grows
We updated our logo and boosted our presence on Facebook and other social media platforms. This helped us connect with more people and raise awareness about our services.
2019
Adapting to COVID-19
When COVID-19 hit, we quickly adapted by expanding our online services. It was crucial for us to stay connected and continue supporting our clients during such a challenging time. During this time, the demand for our services skyrocketed tenfold.
2021
National Lottery Funding
Once again, the National Lottery recognised our work with additional funding, which helped us continue our mission and expand our service.
2023
Postcode Lottery Funding
Another boost came from the Postcode Lottery, giving us the opportunity to keep our doors open.

Our Team

Our Board of Trustees

Our Staff

Catherine Window (She/Her)

Secretary/Trustee

Jayne Lewis (She/Her)

Treasurer/Trustee

Tony Humphries (He/Her)

Chair/Trustee

Debbie Lane OBE (She/Her)

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Taylor Roberts (They/Them)

General Manager

Aled Gustafson (They/Them)

Assistant General Manager

Adele Flore (She/Her)

Counselling Manager (Art Psychotherapist)

Om Pawar (He/Him)

Communications Officer

Mykee Griffiths (They/Them)

Counsellor (Art Psychotherapist)

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Progress Cymru Counselling
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