Beacon Counselling Trust (Lead Partner)

Beacon Counselling Trust (BCT) is a North West-based education, treatment and support charity, which employs fully qualified therapists who have extensive experience working in the area of mild to moderate mental health. BCT delivers a number of diverse community-based programmes, such as our Merseyside-based suicide bereavement programme and our North West-based gambling harms programme. Beacon Counselling Trust was awarded charitable status in 2010.

One of our core services is to offer treatment and support to those affected by gambling-related harms, including partners, family members and friends, in particular to those who form part of the wider Armed Forces Community. Our main office and training facility is based in Liverpool. However, we also provide this service across the North West of England. We offer counselling sessions via the telephone, face to face and video calls.”

We are keen community collaborators and mobilisers which is evidenced in the north west being one of the most successful areas for population engagement for gambling education, early intervention and treatment in the UK

Beacon Counselling Trust

Armed Forces Gambling Support Network

Beacon Counselling Trust (BCT) is an outstanding supporter of our Armed Forces community, and leads the Armed Forces Gambling Support Network. They were awarded the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award in 2024, and have just been nominated for the Gold Award. This is no mean feat. To be awarded Silver and Gold, employers must meet all elements of a strict qualifying criteria, judged by a military board. BCT presented an outstanding Gold nomination, demonstrating their commitment and support to Defence and Defence People.

BCT champion our community and inspire organisations across the North West and beyond to follow their lead. Their support encompasses: Serving Personnel, Veterans, Reservists, Cadets, Spouses and Partners. They excel in collaborative working and willingly share good practice with numerous organisations across the private and public sectors, all for the benefit of our community.

Armed Forces Gambling Support Network

Blackpool Council

Blackpool is a proud seaside community with a rich heritage, strong local identity and millions of visitors drawn to the town each year. Its residents, community groups and public services work hard to support one another, despite facing longstanding social and economic challenges that affect health and wellbeing, including higher levels of deprivation, unemployment, housing insecurity and mental health need. Recognising the importance of protecting and strengthening community wellbeing, Blackpool Council has taken a proactive public health approach to preventing and reducing gambling‑related harm. Through its 2024–2027 strategy, the Council is committed to working alongside communities and partners to reduce harm, build resilience and support healthier lives for local people.

Blackpool Council

Empowerment Charity

Empowerment are a Blackpool based charity, working across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre, with a long term commitment to supporting our local communities and improving lives. Empowerment are committed to empowering others to have their voice heard.

Support can include signposting the individual to services needed, providing individuals with guidance on self-exclusion from betting shops, casinos and online gambling sites and can offer information on gambling to increase awareness. Mentors provide a confidential, safe space for the individual to talk about their struggles and offer emotional support and guidance throughout their journey towards recovery, including relapse prevention advice.

There’s lots of stigma around gambling addictions. Empowerment encourage anyone struggling to reach out, ask for help, and not to struggle alone.

Empowerment Charity

Lancashire County Council

Lancashire County Council (LCC) recognise the significance, and impact, of gambling harms for the communities they serve, and also are aware that its affects are unevenly distributed to some of their most disadvantaged areas. Reducing gambling harm is complex and requires a system wide approach. There are already some programmes underway to support the reduction in harms from gambling, and LCC want to continue to improve their intelligence and identify evidence-based ways to address this important public health issue.

Lancashire County Council

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

The Trust provides mental health, learning disability, autism and community-based services for the whole of Lancashire and South Cumbria with a population of around 1.8 million people.

The Trust specialises in secure, perinatal, inpatient and community mental health and learning disability services, including services for children and young people.

LSC NHS

Liverpool City Council

Liverpool’s approach to reducing gambling harms uses a prevention‑led public health model, treating harm as a social issue. The city coordinates health, council and community partners to reduce stigma, limit exposure, strengthen support pathways, and prioritise young adults and disadvantaged groups, improving wellbeing and tackling inequalities across Liverpool, citywide action.

Liverpool City Council

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) provides specialist care for people with complex mental health difficulties and addictions, living in Bolton, Manchester, Salford, Trafford and Wigan.

We also provide a range of services from sites in Greater Manchester and beyond, including community-based and inpatient mental health care; mental health liaison services in hospitals; specialist mental health and addiction services such as forensic mental health, addictions, deaf mental health and children and young people's mental health services; health and justice services in custodial settings.

We support over 97,000 service users each year and are the largest Mental Health Trust in the country.

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Red Card Gambling

The mission of Red Card is to create a lasting social change through their work, by educating people about the dangers of gambling, helping to reduce crime in our communities, raising awareness of mental health, and by delivering our work nationwide.

Red Card aims to make sure that people from all backgrounds and cultures are educated about the dangers of gambling addiction and the impact it can have on their lives. They work with all agencies including schools, colleges, sports clubs, prison and probation services, and others to help create a more stable and healthy society in the future. Their vision is to become a long-term beneficial and supportive service for all who experience problem gambling.

Red Card Gambling

Ygam

Founded in 2014, Ygam is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to preventing gaming and gambling harms among young people through education, awareness, and research. Ygam safeguard millions of children and young people every year through our award-winning, evidence-based programmes, delivered to those in positions of care and influence.

Ygam is a team of individuals with diverse backgrounds and expertise, united by a passion for protecting children and young people from the harms of gaming and gambling.

Ygam