Off The Record is a free and confidential service offering information, support, counselling and drop in service for young people in the Portsmouth and Havant area, aged 11-25, who might need to talk to someone, in confidence about anything. We’ve featured Off The Record over the years but sadly the charity is now in real need of support itself to continue to offer this service to the young people who need it in Portsmouth. Off The Record’s Free and Confidential Portsmouth Service is facing a critical funding crisis since local Government funding was cut. The well known premises at 250 Fratton Road will be closing, and Off The Record will be seeking new premises in the city but needs to raise £40k for this to happen.

How to Donate

So how to raise £40,000? Off The Record are hoping for 4000 people to help them to do this by each donating £10. That might be one less family Christmas gift which would help thousands of young, local people. Perhaps one less bottle of wine this weekend or forego half a Take Away, don’t rent a film this weekend or skip the cinema? There are lots of ways you can save and donate the money to help the cities vulnerable young people instead. To donate all you have to do is visit the Off The Record GoFundMe page and donate online:

www.gofundme.com/saveofftherecordportsmouth

Off The Record also have a Facebook event they are asking people to say they are coming to, to spread the word about the donations.

How Off The Record Makes a Difference

An army of loyal volunteers are raising money in the community because they are so passionate about this service, they don’t want to see this it close.  Everyone who volunteers for Off The Record is determined that it will continue to support young people in this community like it has been doing since 1977. This service is vital. Without Off The Record, over 3500 young people per year will not have valuable support Off The Record offers. Off The Record are so respected in the community that GP services and other NHS mental health services, as well as referrals from local schools and colleges and self referrals. Off The Record needs your help, in any way you can to raise this money which will keep their doors open and enable them to continue this vital support for young people in the Portsmouth – for free.

“Having had counselling myself and experiencing first-hand how it helped me get my life back on track, I really wanted to give my support to Off The Record by becoming patron.  I hope I can help spread the word and persuade other young people to get help and advice when they feel there is nowhere else to turn.” – Katy Sexton MBE, Off The Record Patron, Portsmouth Olympic Swimmer

Volunteers

Not only does Off The Record’s service support the young people in the local area, but it also provides excellent volunteering opportunities for returners to work, the long term unemployed, sick and disabled and those who are looking for a new challenge. Off The Record has over 100 volunteers working from its two services who are trained, supported and nurtured by Off The Record enabling each and every volunteer opportunities that would not be available if the service didn’t exist. Nearly 40 years in the community speaks for itself and not only that Off The Record were rewarded by The Queen in 2011 who honoured them with her award for Voluntary services.

Find out more on Facebook and at: off-the-record.org.uk