Counselling plan for old bed shop

Garry Fleming, a property surveyor for support service Turning Point, has applied to Wakefield Council to change the use of the ground floor at the old Bed Manor store into a “Talking Shop”.

Impromptu or scheduled self-help sessions and materials could be made available at the Carlton Street site if planners approve the scheme.

And it is proposed that 12 full-time employees would be needed at the site, which would offer face-to-face, telephone and online advice.

In documents made public, Mr Fleming told a planning case officer: “This is a new service called ‘Talking Shops’ whereby people with concerns around mental health such as sleep deprivation, anxiety and depression can self-refer and call in off the cuff to access support.

“We will also be taking referrals from local community groups and using this site as a base for outreach to provide support into the wider community.”

This would involve different types of counselling, interpersonal therapy – which focuses on the relationships between a person and their ‘significant others’ – group interventions and workshops.

Cognitive behavioural therapy – changing the way people think and behave – and other forms of psychotherapy would also be on offer.

Planners approved a similar scheme for Becca House in Market Street, Hemsworth, after Mr Fleming applied in June 2016.

The application form reveals that 12 employees would be needed to run the service.

A decision about the plan should be made by Thursday, February 2.