Advice & Wellbeing Support Services

We all need impartial advice and assistance to help us with problems and big decisions at important moments in our lives. The trouble is our knowledge is limited, and even if we have access to the internet it is still essential to ask the right questions. These organisations are available to help us all, and even better are free thanks very often to the generous assistance of unpaid volunteers.

General

Citizens Advice

Free, confidential and impartial advice on issues affecting people’s lives with a goal to help everyone find a way forward, whatever problem they face. HOURS 10am – 12 noon, first Monday of the month VENUE Abbey Fields Community Centre TELEPHONE North & West Gloucestershire Citizens Advice 01452 527202 WEB http://gloscab.org.uk/winchcombe/

Care At Home

Age UK

Age UK provide advice on: the right to complain if unhappy with care received at home; what you can complain about; how to complain; tips on complaining; the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, and Care Quality Commission. TELEPHONE Free advice line 0800 678 1602 WEB https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/ care/problems-with-care/problems-withhomecare/ Gloucestershire County Council Care at Home

If you are elderly or disabled and need help and support with everyday tasks like feeding, bathing, getting in and out of bed, dressing and undressing, and want to remain in your own home, a home care worker might be able to help you. See website for more details, including information about the care assessment and financial assessment.

CONTACT Adult Social Services TELEPHONE 01452 426868 WEB https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/health-andsocial-care/adults-and-older-people/care-athome/

Children

Childline

Childline is a counselling service for children and young people up to their 19th birthday in the United Kingdom which is provided by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. TELEPHONE Freephone 0800 1111 ADDRESS NSPCC Weston House, 42 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH WEB https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-bd&q=childline

Winchcombe Food Bank

The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of food banks to provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and they campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK. HOURS 1.30 – 3pm Tuesday ADDRESS Encounter Church, 9, Gretton Rd, Winchcombe GL54 5EE TELEPHONE 07879 375562 EMAIL info@northcotswold.foodbank.org.uk WEB http://northcotswold.foodbank.org.uk

Housing

See Community Assets/Community Housing for low-cost community housing

Tewkesbury Borough Council

please do not contact StreetLink but instead call the police on 999. TELEPHONE 0808 168 2443 EMAIL glos.outreach@p3charity.org WEB www.streetlink.org.uk

Internet

Age UK: Getting Started on the Internet

Information about how to connect with friends and family, carry out tasks like shopping and banking, access services such as the GP surgery and the local council, and find sources of entertainment and education is on the website, or contact Age UK by phone. HOURS Age UK Advice Line TELEPHONE 0800 678 1602 (open 8am to 7pm, every day of the year) WEB https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/ work-learning/technology-internet/getting-online/

Anyone can visit the Housing Options Team at Tewkesbury Borough Council for face-to-face advice from one of the housing officers by making a housing options appointment, or you can call in to the office for one of the drop-in sessions. If you are roofless tonight please contact us as soon as possible by phone, or come in our offices for advice.

We offer a general housing advice drop-in service at the times below How the Internet works in 5 minutes

A simple and easy to understand guide on YouTube. WEB https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_LPdttKXPc

Which Advice on Internet scams

HOURS 9am – 12pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. (Closed on Wednesdays) TELEPHONE 01684 272212 WEB housingadvice@tewkesbury.gov.uk https://www.yourcircle.org.uk/Services/11749

Shelter

StreetLink exists to help end rough sleeping by enabling members of the public to connect people sleeping rough with the local services that can support them. If you are concerned about someone over the age of 18 that you have seen sleeping rough you can use the StreetLink website to send an alert. The details you provide are sent to the local authority to help them find the individual and connect them to support. If you think the person you are concerned about is under 18 A guide which explains how social media scams work and shares guidance on how to stay safe on dating websites; how to avoid ‘copycat’ which charge a fee to renew official documents which can be done free; how to spot fake or fraudulent websites; how to recognise email scams seeking your information and money; how to pick up holiday scams; how to avoid scammers offering to fix your PC; free template letters to your bank if you have been a victim of scammers. TELEPHONE 029 2267 0000 (for Which members) ADDRESS Which? 3 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff CF10 4BZ WEB https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/scams/ internet-scams

Advice & Wellbeing Support Services

Age Action: How to use a smart phone

Smartphones are used to make phone calls and send text messages but they can also be used for accessing the internet and check your emails, search the internet and more. This is a helpful guide on getting started produced by Age Action. WEB https://www.ageaction.ie/sites/default/files/ attachments/android_smartphone_handout.pdf

Police

Gloucester Constabulary, Advice and Information

Police advice to keep you safe and help you understand the law covering: - adult and elder abuse; anti social behaviour; domestic abuse; data protection; fraud; hate crime; road safety; crime prevention; watch schemes etc. ADDRESS 1 Waterwells Waterwells Business Park, Waterwells Dr, Gloucester GL2 2AN TELEPHONE 01452 726920 WEB https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/advice/ advice-and-information/

Safety, Warmth & Wellbeing

Energy Saving Trust

Advice and information to make your home more energy efficient, reduce your carbon emissions and lower your energy bills. This involves using energy to heat or cool your property, generate hot water and power all your appliances and devices. Save money on your bills at the same time as reducing your carbon footprint. TELEPHONE 0800 444 202 WEB www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk

Tradesmen

How not to get ripped off when employing builders and tradesmen

Guardian article includes: never employ anyone offering a cheap deal for cash; they are almost certain to be a cowboy builder and will do a shoddy job; get a quotation from more than one builder; decide exactly what you want doing before asking for a quote to avoid misunderstandings later on; get a quote for a fixed price, not an estimate; have the work agreed in writing. The Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT) produces a standard building contract for the home owner. For £9.95 you get a four-page pre-printed contract which you fill in by ticking boxes, to show the agreement reached between you and the builder. To order a copy, call 0121 722 8200. Which? Advice on dealing with cold callers

Includes: 1. Register for free with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS); 2. Keep your name off sales call lists; 3. Screen your phone calls; 4. Set up call barring for unwanted calls; 5. Consider using a call blocker; 6. Report cold-calling offenders WEB https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/cordless-phones/ article/top-tips-to-stop-cold-calls-aF83J4g4Hzpq

The Silver Line

The Silver Line is a free confidential helpline providing information, friendship and support to older people, open 24 hours a day. ADDRESS Tavis House, 1-6 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9NA TELEPHONE 0800 470 8090 EMAIL info@thesilverline.org.uk WEB https://www.thesilverline.org.uk

159 – Stop Scams UK

If you think someone is trying to trick you into handing over money or personal details… …Stop, hang up and call 159 to speak directly to your bank. 159 is the memorable, secure number that contacts you directly to your bank if you think you’re being scammed. 159 works in the same way as 101 for the police or 111 for the NHS. It’s the number you can trust to get you through to your bank, every time. 159 will never call you. WEB https://stopscamsuk.org.uk/159