Off the Record, a Short History

Off The Record grew out of the Norwich Action Group on Drugs which was founded in 1967. A group of parents and teachers had become concerned about illegal drug use amongst school children in Norwich and, following a survey and report, a Drugs Liaison Committee was set up. In 1975, Off The Record Advisory Service was established, with the area of work concentrating on supporting parents and teachers.

Doctors in central Norwich then identified a significant need for a more general form of counselling and so the organisation changed its focus to one of providing a range of different approaches to counselling for the people of Norwich and the surrounding area. Off The Record Norfolk and Norwich Counselling Service became a registered charity in June 1993 and a limited company in 2000.

The ethos of Off The Record is that anybody can come and seek the help offered by the team of experienced and qualified counsellors. Because the agency is not governed by outside influences, the counselling team has the ability to work with their clients for as long as is required.

The organisation was fortunate in being offered rooms above the Surgery at 1, Trinity Street, Norwich in 1981 where it is still based.