The national suicide prevention charity, Console, has opened a new counselling centre in the Midlands, with specialist rooms for children and teenagers.

The Midlands Counselling Centre in Athlone will provide counselling, advice and support to anyone who has been affected by suicide.

"The community has really taken ownership of this project and thanks to their incredible efforts, we are able to offer hope and help to people in the Midlands who are struggling with mental health difficulties or issues around suicide," commented Console founder and CEO, Paul Kelly.

The centre includes specialist counselling rooms for children and adults, including a ‘Donal's Room' for teenagers. This is in honour of inspirational teenager, Donal Walsh, who died of cancer in May 2013. In the months prior to his death, Donal spoke openly about how much he wanted to live and appealed to young people not to take their own lives.

According to Console's business manager, Margaret Tierney, the centre could not have been opened without the help of many volunteers and supporters.

"When we launched our appeal for a premises over a year ago, local opticians Frank and Rena Elliott, offered us a premises at an affordable rent. Since then a vast number of people in the region have come on board, trades people have given us their labour, business people have provided fixtures, fittings and furniture.

"We have been inundated with generosity and well wishers offering us their skills, time, money and effort, to help get this much needed counselling service up and running," she explained.

Console has operated an outreach service in Athlone for a number of years, however this full-time centre will also serve people from Westmeath, Roscommon, Offaly and east Galway. Fully-trained counsellors will be available to provide one-to-one counselling, while group and family therapy sessions will also be available.

"The response to our outreach service convinced us of the huge need for our services in the region. The work of local people has helped us create something they can be proud of and a place which will provide a life line for people in psychological distress," Mr Kelly said.

Console runs a number of full-time conselling centres nationwide, as well as in London. For more information, call 1800 247 247 or click here