Sarah Ramsay - ChatBus

ChatBus is a free counselling service that regularly makes the rounds of Otago primary and intermediate schools. Before you say gyeah but who would be caught dead seeing the school counsellorh, theyfve actually managed to break that perception and become the ecool kidsf, being an independent entity on their very own bright fun bus with lots of goodies and fun stuff on board for the kids ? kids are literally lining up and trying to find excuses to get onto it. Averil and her team are regularly discovering truly hideous situations and saving kids from all sorts of abuse, and theyfre a safe place for children coping with normal every day issues (such as mum and dad arguing, body image problems, being bullied, feeling left out or different), which if left unchecked can really damage their development throughout their later years. Importantly ChatBus is helping to normalise counselling, so that by the time kids become hormonal difficult teenagers they know that itfs ok to seek help and talk about it ? rather than joining the ranks of delinquents. Which for those of you who know me well will know delinquency was definitely a path I embraced fully ? and thus the reason ChatBus is close to my heart. $65,000 for a new bus and counsellor Why do they need more money? Because the awesome crew at ChatBus are fundraising for a new bus (van to be exact) and counsellor to help service an expanding base of schools, as far South as Invercargill. They need $65,000, theyfve raised $6,000 so far, and Ifd like to think we can double that!! Wefve got a number of cunning plans for raising funds, and there will be a $10 raffle on the night, but if you canft make it, or youfre feeling extra generous you can immediately DONATE HERE -https://www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/SarahRamsay