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-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 or call 01268 977 171. For out of hours 24/7 emotional support call 01268 977 171

Mid and South Essex Recovery College

A Recovery College is all about providing an educational learning environment for people who experience difficulties with, or have an interest in, mental health and wellbeing. The courses available support recovery – a journey of discovery, to find hope, happiness, health and opportunities.

Basildon

Basildon Mind Wellbeing Groups 01268 284130 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 Essex: Find Your Active Lifestyle

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

Trust Links is an independent charity for mental health, wellbeing and the environment in Essex. They offer therapeutic gardening, recovery classes, social activities, employability support, training, environmental workshops and more. They work with around 4,000 people per year, with sites in Southend, Castle Point, Rochford, Braintree and Basildon.

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 The Billericay Arts Association (BAA) was set up in 1979 as a registered charity to run The Fold as a community arts centre

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. For details call 07580 733988 phroom@btinternet.com

Dementia-Friendly Essex: Your Guide To Local Initiatives

There are many great initiatives and activity groups in Essex for people with dementia, helping to ensure that they can keep their minds and bodies active and remain social. Dementia-friendly groups and events help to make sure that life with dementia can still be fun and active, with as little stress as possible.

This page will guide you through the local initiatives that are running and who to contact to get involved.

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

SAVS-southend.org

Southend Association of Voluntary Services is an independent charity known as a council for voluntary service or CVS. They run their own community based projects, all built on the foundation of supporting, empowering and celebrating the people of Southend.

Castle Point Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS) (cavsorg.uk) CAVS provides information, advice and guidance to voluntary and community organisations, to develop solutions for local issues. They help match organisations and potential volunteers, aimed at improving their communities. They work with existing voluntary sector providers to extend their schemes as well as local statutory bodies to identify and develop new services. .

Castle Point Borough Council, Kiln Road, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 1TF Email: office@castlepointavs.org.uk 01268 214000

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 Volunteer Essex - Volunteering opportunities throughout Essex

Over 60s

AGE Concern Age UK Advice Line: 0800 678 1602 Lines are open 8am-7pm, 365 days a year.

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

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

Groups

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