SIR Fynwy Torfaen MS Lynne Neagle visited Basecamp Cooperative one year after they moved into their new facility in St Maur.

Basecamp started in 2018 as a housing cooperative and currently developing an ethical letting agency to support people in private tenancies.

Basecamp has previously run projects including a youth club, a soup kitchen, and community and sustainability initiatives.

The team have developed a CPCAB-accredited counselling training centre, offering courses Levels two, three and four. The courses are delivered in person, in small groups, with a strong emphasis on practical and experimental learning, alongside placement opportunities and lead to qualification as a counsellor.

Anyone in the UK can access online counselling and residents of Monmouthshire and anywhere within travelling distance can use the in-person counselling service.

Clients can access affordable counselling with trainee counsellors; Basecamp subsides referrals of complex cases in their team of qualified counsellors. Basecamp also provides the trauma intervention ‘The Rewind’ to address the impact of trauma and PTSD.

Basecamp doesn’t operate a waiting list, and all clients are seen within two weeks of self-referral.

Working with the Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations (GAVO), basecamp are in their second year of running a regular adult neurodivergent support group in Chepstow. The group provides a relaxed space for people to meet others, share experiences and build connections with people who may have similar experiences.

A pilot support group for young people aged 13-18 began in July of this year, creating a space where they can meet others, spend time together and explore things that may help then navigate everyday life.

Lynne Neagle MS said: It was great to be shown around Basecamp’s centre in Chepstow when visiting them and to see their excellent work for the community.

“Thank you to the team at Basecamp for taking the time to meet me, and for their dedication to supporting people across Monmouthshire.

“I look forward to seeing Basecamp’s growth over the next few years.”