WPF Therapy's Grand Opening

I realise I haven't written anything about the official opening of WPF Therapy's new premises near London Bridge, which took place three weeks ago now, on 11th February. Firstly, I must say that they didn't do a good job of ordering the weather. It was a filthy afternoon/evening, with driving rain and wind. Nevertheless, plenty of people must have thought it was worth the effort of getting there, as the room was quite full. Please, don't ask me to locate that room again! I think the new building is really brilliant. Despite quite limited opportunities to provide natural light, the designers have somehow managed to give the impression of a great luminosity (enough to lift the spirits even before couselling!) as well as spaciousness. However, the general consensus at the opening was that a little time would be needed to work out where things were located. As far as I can gather, there are parallel corridors and two staircases. For me this had the effect that I was constantly finding myself somewhere I didn't expect to be!

The new building certainly has a plethora of treatment rooms, all very clean, tasteful, and welcoming, without being cluttered. As I wandered around, I began to realise just how many people benefit from the services of WPF Therapy, something I hadn't managed to visualise from the bare statistic of over 500 appointments each week. Given that there are also nearly 500 students enrolled on the introductory and professional courses run by WPF Therapy, it must be a busy place at times! Even during the opening, an early-evening event, there were plenty of treatment sessions underway, which we were careful not to disturb as we looked around. Well away from these, however, the opening was accompanied by a fair volume of conversation as staff, trustees, friends, trainees, and people with all sorts of links to WPF Therapy took the opportunity to meet each other. Unusually for such events (at least in my experience), rather than being an enforced break from chatting, the speeches proved quite inspirational in their descriptions of the evolution of WPF Therapy so far, and their energy and excitement about what the future holds. It was particularly touching to hear Benita Kyle, wife of the founder, speak about the very small beginnings of what was then Westminster Pastoral Foundation, and how that original vision has been maintained through all the growth and changes of the last 40 years.

I was sad when WPF Therapy moved out of Kensington Square; for me it brought interest and diversity to the campus. I'm pretty sure they were sad to leave, too, after 30 years in such a beautiful setting. However, in characteristic fashion, what could have been viewed as an unwanted trial has instead been seized as an opportunity. I wish them many more decades of success in their crucial work!