£20,000 council grant empowers Oxford trauma therapy charity to transform lives
A specialist trauma therapy service based in Oxford has received a £20,000 boost from Oxfordshire County Council’s Community Capacity Grant programme, enabling it to continue offering life-changing support to residents across the county.
The Metta Centre for Trauma Therapy – Oxfordshire’s only dedicated, low-cost trauma service – supports up to 50 socially disadvantaged clients each year.
With a team of 14 volunteer therapists, the centre provides professional help to individuals suffering from flashbacks, panic attacks, anxiety, depression and other debilitating symptoms, many of whom have gone undiagnosed and untreated for decades.
The funding, administered by Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF), has allowed the Metta Centre to maintain its vital services.
It has also enabled the charity to pilot innovative approaches to trauma treatment, including neurofeedback – a cutting-edge technique that uses real-time brain activity feedback to help individuals better regulate their responses to stress and trauma.
Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “It’s inspiring to see organisations like The Metta Centre using council funding to make a real difference to people’s lives.
“Their work is essential in building community resilience and supporting those who have long been underserved.”
The Metta Centre’s impact was celebrated last summer at its 10th anniversary event at the Oxford Friends Meeting House, where BBC special correspondent Fergal Keane joined live from Jerusalem to share his personal experience with trauma and PTSD, underscoring the importance of accessible, professional help.
Karen Stowe, Clinical Lead at The Metta Centre, said: “Thanks to the financial support provided from Oxfordshire County Council, and administered on their behalf by Oxfordshire Community Foundation, we’ve been able to make a profound difference as a small charity.
“The low-cost trauma therapy we provide fills a real gap in mental health provision, and we are always looking for ways to improve and develop the work we do by pioneering cutting-edge approaches like neurofeedback.”
The Metta Centre also extends heartfelt thanks to its supporters, including Oxford Quaker Meeting House, which generously provides free therapy rooms every Monday.
To learn more about The Metta Centre’s work or to support its mission, visit its website.
More information about the support offered by Oxfordshire Community Foundation can be found online.
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