Financial pressure forces closure of Good2Talk

Charity winds down, but staff propose opening new service to continue work

The board of Good2Talk have announced that they will close their offices on Friday 26 May. In a statement released last week, the board members said the “extremely hard” decision follows a 10-year anniversary review of the organisation and its viability.

“From day one, funding has been the greatest obstacle to survival, and that was exacerbated by the Covid lockdown and lack of ability to raise funds throughout that period,” they said.

“Inevitably that had a knock-on effect and – but for some extremely generous donations and fundraisers in recent times – this decision would have been forced on us much earlier.”

Good2Talk was founded in the Annebrook House Hotel 10 years ago when a small group of concerned and forward thinking people, led by local counsellor, Pat Gavin, broached the idea of setting up a unique low cost organisation.

Since then Good2Talk has grown under the tutelage of past and present CEOs, Mr Gavin, Kathleen Poynton and Pearl Brock, and on average some 450 clients per year used the service.

“We have also been extremely fortunate in the time to attract an excellent calibre of board members, all professionals in their own right, who gave their time and expertise selflessly in order to steer the organisation on its journey,” said the board in their statement.

“We are extremely proud of the fact that no board members have ever received any expenses, remuneration or costs throughout the lifetime of Good2Talk – all have given their time and expertise in the spirit of charity and that has been priceless to the organisation.

“Throughout the years, we have been blessed with having excellent staff, from management and therapists, to students, to administration. All those wonderful people gave a little bit of themselves to their work. It was not a job but a vocation for many, and they all played a part in making the lives of the people they met that little bit easier, and in some instances they saved lives. For that, we will be forever grateful.”

The board members offered “a special word of thanks” to everyone in the community who supported them. “Our organisation could not have survived without the support of the people on the ground. All those who raised funds, created events, shook buckets, and all those who donated from their own pockets – your hard work directly affected the people in your community and made a vast difference to the quality of people’s lives around you.”

Many organisations have been vital in the success of Good2Talk over its lifetime, including An Garda Síochána, Mullingar Fire Service, Westmeath County Council, local TDs and councillors, North Midlands Credit Union and past and present landlords for their support.

“We would also like to thank the Westmeath Examiner and Topic and Midlands 103 for their reporting of the cause down through the years.

“Currently we are working closely with the accountants, legal team and the Charities Regulator to ensure a wind down of the charity in line with all statutory requirements.

“This process will take a number of weeks, but when complete, we will publish a financial statement and instructions on how any assets will be redistributed in line with Charities Regulator policy to other charities.

“We would like to thank the thousands of clients who have come through the doors of Good2Talk. You are the reason the organisation was set up and you are the reason we have kept going for so long.

“We were delighted to receive the news that although the charity will close, staff members are proposing to open their own organisations and continue the work. This is exciting news and will hopefully offer continuity of care and a continuation of services under a new model.

“We would like to sincerely thank all staff and management for that decision and would urge the public to get behind them and their new venture to ensure it is a success. Details will be announced by staff in due course.

“Lastly, if you have in any way contributed to Good2talk in the last 10 years, we would ask that you take a moment to praise yourself. You have contributed to something magical that touched the lives of so many. We feel we have achieved the mission of breaking the stigma around mental health and providing low cost accessible mental health services in the community. It is important to look and take stock at what has been achieved and also to look forward to what is to come. The future is exciting!”

Contact the Good2Talk office at info@good2talk.ie.

Message from Pearl Brock, CEO, Good2Talk

It is with a heavy heart that we close the doors on what has been 10 years of community and counsellor/ therapist support. Our mission has always been to provide excellence in counselling and psychotherapy care to those who need it most, at the lowest cost possible. We see that is not sustainable in this model, but we are excited to see a new venture that will support us all.

It would be difficult to say goodbye to the clients and the community we have served for so long – therefore, we hope it is not goodbye, but goodbye to Good2Talk and hello to something different but none the less amazing for the community.

We are proud of the progress we made in supporting the emotional and mental wellbeing of the clients. The staff, some of whom have been here since the doors first opened, are on one hand sad to see the charity close, but on the other excited to see what will come.

All of us at Good2Talk, the counsellors, analysts and psychotherapists, the staff and clients, the families and community, want to express the depth of our gratitude to the tireless work of the public who have raised funds over the years to support the work.

To the local organisations, corporations, groups, and societies who have dug deep into their pockets and hearts – we are grateful for all you have done. And last, as CEO, I would like to thank the board of management for their support and the opportunity and trust they have placed in me to stand at the helm of such a wonderful organisation and support all of us in the ending of something important to the community. Thank you.