THE chairman of Watford Borough Council , Shirena Counter , attended the annual meeting of local youth counselling charity Signpost to launch a new "Friends" project on Saturday.

"Friends of Signpost is about enlisting the support of the community," explained Rayna Shock, Signpost’s chairman.

She said: "We have been around for 40 years and there must be lots of people out there we have helped.

"If 1,000 local residents become Friends of Signpost and make a standing order of just £4 a month, we will have recouped the income we have lost because of Government cuts.

"That’s the difference between us slowly petering out and being around to serve Hertfordshire’s young people for the next 40 years."

Councillor Counter, who has chosen Signpost to be one of her charities of the year, said "Signpost is a great organisation and I really want the chairman’s charity of the year to give a lasting boost to the valuable work they do."

To find out more or to become a Friend go to www.signpostcounselling.co.uk or call 01923 239495.