Groups

Join your local library, to access books, groups, online magazines, volunteering opportunities. http://libraries.essex.gov.uk/

Your local library will have information and might have groups that you can attend, e.g. Hadleigh library offers a knit and natter session on Fridays 12.30-2.30pm, just turn up, bring your craft, 20p and an empty cup for a cup of tea or coffee.

E-library (essex.gov.uk) Free e-books and much more!

All you need is your Library Card to get access to free e-books, audiobooks, digital magazines and more!

Just download the BorrowBox app to your smartphone or tablet and sign in with your Library Card number and PIN, and you’re ready to go!

Vita Health Group are the new Improved Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) provider. Their service - VitaMinds - replaces Therapy for You.

This is a free and confidential NHS service for adults over the age of 18 who are experiencing depression, anxiety, panic attacks, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), social anxiety, health anxiety or OCD etc.

VitaMinds offers telephone treatment, computer Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), group therapy, one-to-one face to face sessions. Patients will be recommended the best treatment option based on their mental health assessment. Patients can self refer online at Vita Health Group - NHS, Corporate & Private Health Services or call 01268 977 171. For out of hours 24/7 emotional support call 01268 977 171

Basildon

Basildon Mind Art Group- meets on a Thursday morning between 10.30 and 12.30 at a premises in Basildon town. The cost is £2.00 per session. The art group is facilitated by Tony Marriage. People can self refer to the Art Group. If you would like to attend please give Jill Foley a call on 01268 289700 or email Jill@basmind.org www.basmind.org

Bas-Arts-Index Bas-Arts-Index is a home for Basildon’s creatives to connect and collaborate.

Join Bas-Arts-Index and become a part of Basildon’s first artist-led interdisciplinary creative directory.

All creatives connected with Basildon are welcome to join.

Digital Art courses at Metal Art School, Chalkwell Park, Southend. Explore how digital arts in an outdoor setting can improve mental health and well-being. For more information about how to get involved, please contact Emma Mills on emma.mills@metalculture.com / 01702 470700 http://www.metalculture.com/projects/netpark-wellbeing-project/

Men's shed

They're community spaces for men to connect, converse and create. The activities are often similar to those of garden sheds, but for groups of men to enjoy together. They help reduce loneliness and isolation, but most importantly, they’re fun.

What is a Men's Shed? - (menssheds.org.uk)

The Art Ministry - Caring through creativity The Art Ministry runs regular arts and crafts groups and clubs for a wide variety of people from Essex.

Active Women- Southend There are exciting opportunities for women and girls to get active. If you are looking to get involved in sport and fitness, then this is for you. The aim is to increase female participation by providing an enjoyable experience. No need to book any classes, just come along and join in. For the new programme or for further details contact 01702 567327 or visit active-women.co.uk

Ways2Wellbeing – Southend Adult Community College (southend-adult.ac.uk)

Southend Adult Community College offers a friendly and supportive environment for people who may experience mental health difficulties. The aim of every session is to try something new in a non-pressured and supportive environment.

They offer educational provision in a friendly and fully supportive environment to people who may experience anxiety, stress related issues, and a number of conditions that affect general wellbeing. Their courses aim to build your confidence and self-esteem, bring a positive balance to your life, reduce stress and teach you useful coping mechanisms and can also be used as a stepping stone to mainstream courses, voluntary work or employment. No prior knowledge or qualifications are required to attend these courses.

Before you start your course you will be invited to meet with their Wellbeing Coach who will support you. This one to one chat will ensure that you are accessing the right course for you.

To book your chat with their Wellbeing Coach call 01702 445700 or email: wellbeing@southend-adult.ac.uk

Mental Health and Wellbeing Support - Trust Links

REACH Wellbeing Hub peer support groups, telephone support, assessments and reviews both over the telephone and face to face at our sites and in community venues; the Hub is the first port of call for anyone with a mental health issue in Southend, Castle Point and Rochford and links in with a wide range of other agencies

REACH Recovery College delivers both online and face to face courses and workshops to support mental health, wellbeing and resilience; our online learning platform now enables students to access learning where and when it suits them

Talking Together is a COVID response project recruiting and training volunteers to provide telephone befriending for people who are isolated and struggling with their mental health; mental health awareness training is provided for individuals, businesses and community groups for free via Zoom

Growing Together in Westcliff, Shoeburyness, Rochford and Thundersley

Brentwood

https://www.brentwoodarts.org.uk/visualarts.html

https://aclessex.com/mental-health/ art courses in Brentwood fees may apply

http://www.baathefold.org.uk/about.html worth keeping an eye on

ABC Social Club

A friendly and very active social club open to all meeting at The Pilgrims Hatch Hall (corner of Ongar Road and Orchard Lane), Brentwood. Activities range from quiz nights, pub lunches, theatre trips, mystery bus trips and many more activities. Meeting once a week for a variety of evening and day activities. New members are very welcome. For event details call Mike Cotter on 01277 372814.

Colouring in the community | Peabody Care and Support

The Colour Me In Café is held every Friday at the Brentwood Theatre Café from 11.00am – 2.00pm and offers visitors the chance to socialise, meet friends and enjoy the new craze of adult colouring in. Along with this, visitors can be signposted to services in the area that might be of help to them.

Blue Flower Café

A support group for dementia carers, run by dementia carers. This group meets and chats about common problems over a tea or coffee once a month at Sainsbury’s, Brentwood and Hutton Community Centre. For further information please contact Leslie Wallhead on 01277 216617.

About Care and Support | Peabody

The support Peabody provide depends on the needs of the individual but includes:

Working with people who need extra help to manage their home and stay independent
Helping people to manage money and pay bills
Providing 24-hour care
Putting people in contact with other local services that can help
Adapting someone's home to make it more suitable to live in and
Helping people to stay fit and well

Chelmsford

The Ideas Hub Workshops timetable - Ideas Hub Chelmsford The Art Place, Meadows Shopping Centre, High Street

Volunteering

If you are thinking of volunteering or would like to find out more, you can visit the website www.volunteeressex.org

Volunteering in Southend SAVS-southend.org or get in touch with SAVS by calling 01702 356060 or emailing vb@savs-southend.co.uk. If you need Supported volunteering please contact the Project Support Worker – Rachel Rooks svadmin@savs-southend.co.uk or Telephone: 01702 356021

Welcome to CAVS - Castle Point Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS) (cavsorg.uk) Castle Point Association for Voluntary Services If you would like to get in touch to find out more about their services or to get involved please contact. Also offers befriending services. The Tyrells Centre, 39 Seamore Avenue SS7 4EX Tel: 0800 840 4714 or 01268 638416 Email: office@castlepointavs.org.uk visit

Brentwood Volunteer Centre The Centre is designed to be a one stop shop for information and advice about how to engage volunteers or how to start volunteering. Working together with other Volunteer Centres in Essex, Brentwood is part of the Volunteer Essex website. The site hosts a range of information on volunteering and advertises many volunteering opportunities across the County. For information, please contact enquiries@brentwoodcv.uk

For details of all volunteer centres and opportunities please visit https://www.livingwellessex.org/work-and-learning/finding-work/volunteering/

Over 60s

AGE Concern Southend on Sea CIO

Provide vital services to people in later life. Local services include: information and advice on a large range of issues befriending service, face to face telephone befriending, volunteer drivers, service handyman, hire of wheelchairs, hearing aid battery exchange, community club events - fundraising and outreach talks and surgeries 01702 345373

Their offices are open from 9.30-4.30pm, staff are always happy to help so do pop in with any enquiries you may have.

AGE Concern Southend on Sea CIO
134 Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff-on-Sea Essex SS0 7LN

The Silver Line - The free, 24-hour confidential helpline for older people |

Need help? Call ANYTIME on: 0800 4 70 80 90

The Silver Line is the only free confidential helpline providing information, friendship and advice to older people, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.