A charity is offering counselling services to families affected by the recent gun violence.

The Family Centre is to provide the support over the Christmas holidays, but longer term help is also being considered. The Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Response Team has extensive experience of helping families through trauma and is led by Doris DaCosta.

The CISM team will provide two sessions of crisis intervention counselling to each family which needs it.

Martha Dismont, executive director of The Family Centre, said: "As a result of the many families impacted by the violent incidents of recent weeks, and possibly more families needing services as the holidays wind down, we have organised counsellors to provide pro bono brief intervention counselling over the holidays. This current effort is an interim measure to ensure that families are aware of the support that is available over the holidays.

"As a follow-up to this initiative, the group will reconvene in January to plan for solutions to families' longer term counselling needs."

To contact the counsellors, call 236 3770 today and ask for the helpline. From tomorrow call 239 6344.