Information for Individuals

Welcome to your local charity.

We are a local grassroots charity and are here to help you regardless of your personal circumstances, please get in touch as soon as possible and have a chat with us.

We have 3 simple ways for connecting with us as listed below. The office is open 9am to 5pm Mondays to Fridays during school term times.

*We work with people of all ages so don’t be put off contacting us because we are only open during school term times – this is historical and to do with our lease and neighbours, it is not intended to exclude anyone who is not in education.

Pick up the phone and speak to us – the number is 01823 433614

Email us on: info@conquestcentre.org.uk

WhatsApp us on:
07521 775575

Pop in and see us during school term time between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, it’s best if you make an appointment first so you can be sure to see the right person when you come along.

If you are experiencing a personal crisis and need urgent support, please click here for contacts to organisations who offer support out of hours.

We’d love to hear from you so please feel free to pick up the phone to talk anything through, also do have a look at our FAQ page here.

You do not need to have a diagnosis or referral to come to us, everyone is welcome regardless of age or background. We offer a range of therapeutic services and learning pathways for all ages and equine assisted psychotherapy and counselling for adults.

There is a funded program for parents and carers of children or young people in therapy running until September 2024. Please contact the office for further information.

At your first meeting you will have the opportunity to familiarise yourself with the facilities and animals on site and for you and your parent or carer to have an introductory meeting with the Centre Manager. During the meeting the Centre Manager will discuss your needs and suggest the mentor with the skills and background most suitable for you. There will also be some paperwork to complete and there will be someone to hand to assist with this if you’d like some help with that.

As a rule it is recommended that each new client prepares to attend weekly for at least 10 weeks, some of our clients have been coming for many years, there is no limit to how long each person comes for.

Prices start at £35 for 30 mins and there are funding opportunities for some individuals offered by Somerset Community Foundation Grants for individuals – Somerset Community Foundation and CAMHS Somerset: www.somersetft.nhs.uk

There is a funded program for parents and carers of children or young people in therapy running until August 2025 Please follow this link for more information.

What to expect

At Conquest Centre success is not measured by ‘outcomes’ but instead it’s all about helping people feel better mentally and physically which will in turn develop wellbeing, self-worth and independence to draw on in those moments that might otherwise feel daunting. By being outside in nature and with the wonderful therapy animals whilst talking to a trained mentor, healing can start to happen and develop its own momentum.

You may not be familiar with the word biophilia and that is not unusual – it describes the evidence of studies that have revealed the remarkable health and wellbeing benefits of being outdoors in nature and interacting with animals. We are so lucky in Somerset to have beautiful countryside on our doorsteps and at Conquest Centre we are based in 17 acres of farm land, with a vast array of therapy animals from horses and donkeys to goats and guineapigs.
Our mentors are all trained to offer bespoke sessions tailored to the needs of each individual. There is more information on our FAQ page.

We hope you will get in touch and come and see us, we look forward to meeting you.

Helpful information about our work:

We are registered as an Alternative Provider with Somerset County Council SCC
Have a look at our facilities page to see the comprehensive list of facilities we offer.
Our work with young people who find mainstream education limiting, is essentially to provide an environment that removes the barriers to learning and working towards improved wellbeing. Sessions are structured to offer experiential learning working with nature and the animals, to explore alternative thoughts on why eg; healthy eating, maths and hygiene are important life skills. Many students successfully return to mainstream education or go on to feel confident to apply for further education or employment.
Mentors are trained in trauma informed principles and offering young people positive connections, non-judgemental trusting relationships and emotionally available adults. Trauma Informed Schools UK.
For younger children and those with developmental delay syndrome, Thrive Approach is a positive support approach alongside our nature and animal based therapeutic work. The proven benefits of Biophilia (working with nature and animals) plays a significant part in the success of our work.
Play is essential for development. As an alternative to talking therapies Play Therapy helps children explore and express their thoughts and feelings and to make sense of their life experiences through play and the creative arts. Play therapy can benefit all children, but it is particularly beneficial for children who find it hard to express themselves verbally.
We value 2 or 3-way communication and use MyConcern as our chosen Safeguarding tool. You can read more about our safeguarding policy in this link.
We have a 4 week cancellation policy.