Page 17 - Essex Mason (Issue 87) Online Version

Charity

Essex Freemasons

Donate £72,000 to

Colchester Charity

ssex Freemasons have donated almost £72,000
to Colchester based charity, CARA (Centre
Efor Action on Rape and Abuse), to help fund a
specialist “Young Person’s Practitioner” to provide
support to teenage victims of sexual abuse

The funding will cover the cost of providing therapeutic
support to help young people of all genders to move forwards
from the trauma they have experienced, feel more able to
cope with their lives and develop coping mechanisms to, for
example, manage flashbacks and self-harming behaviour.
The grant, which was given via the Masonic Charitable
Foundation (MCF), the Freemasons own charity, is one of the
largest ever given in Essex to one single organisation and
reflects the importance of the work that CARA undertakes in
North and Mid Essex.
“The work undertaken by CARA is incredible and we are
delighted to be able to support this excellent charity,” said
Paul Reeves, Deputy Provincial Grand Master for Essex, who
presented a cheque for the grant to Helen Parr, Director of
CARA.
“CARA is a lifeline for vulnerable victims of sexual violence and child sexual abuse, helping to rebuild lives and we know that
money from Essex Freemasons will make a real difference.” Helen Parr for CARA, commented: ”We are extremely grateful to
the Freemasons for recognising the importance of the specialist support we provide to young victims of sexual violence and
child sexual abuse and providing a grant that will help fund our work in Colchester and Tendring for a full three years.”
CARA has been providing a counselling service for young people who have been victims of sexual violence or child sexual
abuse since 2009. Demand has sadly increased by 163% over the last four years, with the number of referrals growing from
105 (2014) to 276 (2018).
This has grown largely due to increased awareness and understanding amongst young people, professionals and parents and
across society in general. Currently, young people have to wait for four and a half months to start the support once they’ve
been referred, but the additional funding from Essex Freemasons will help reduce that waiting time.
The Young Person’s Practitioner is a fully qualified and experienced young person’s counsellor. She will work one day a week
from each of the CARA premises in Colchester, Clacton and Harwich. Each young person will normally be offered sessions for a
minimum of six and a maximum of 20 weeks, depending on their needs. Over three years, the grant will support CARA’s work
with over 100 young people
Referrals to CARA come from the Essex Police, the Essex Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), Social Care teams, GPs, voluntary
organisations and parents who may be concerned about their child, and sometimes from the young people themselves.
CARA (Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse) works with victims

and survivors of sexual violence and child sexual abuse, providing
independent, specialist support and promoting and representing
their rights and needs.

For more information about CARA go to https://caraessex.org.uk

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