Brighter Futures for Older People aims to help and support people over the age of 65 in the borough of Maidstone.

What is Brighter Futures for Older People aims to:

• Empower
• Enable
• Promote inclusion
• Build Communities
• Improve Health and Well-being
• Help confidence grow

To find out more telephone them on :01622 762403 or email: [email protected]

To go to the Voluntary Action Maidstone website click on the link: www.vam-online.org.uk

Contact a Family supports families of disabled children across the UK, whatever their condition or disability. Contact a Family provide information, advice and support. Contact a Family brings families together so they can support each other.

Contact a Family can provide:

• Medical Information
• Information about your rights and entitlements
• Advice and Support
• Parent resources
• Workshops and information sessions
• Parent support groups

They have a free helpline 0808 808 3555 or call: Tel: 020 7608 8700 or email: [email protected]

To go to their website go to: www.cafamily.org.uk

Domestic Abuse Support Services covers Kent and Medway providing advice and information on services for victims, friends & family, and perpetrators of Domestic Abuse and domestic violence.

Find local help to you if:

• You are in an abusive relationship
• A friend of yours is being abused
• If you are a young person
• If you are an abuser
• Or if you are a professional

The Domestic Abuse Support Service means you can search for services to help you in your local area. In addition they have further advice and help on their website: www.domesticabuseservices.org.uk

The Helpline can give support, help and information over the telephone, wherever the caller might be in the country. The Helpline is staffed 24 hours a day by fully trained female helpline support workers and volunteers. All calls are completely confidential. Translation facilities for callers whose first language is not English, and a service for callers who are deaf or hard of hearing are available.

To find out more about this service and go to the website click the following link: www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk

The Exercise Referral Scheme is a partnership between KCC Public Health, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and Fusion Lifestyle to help people discover the health benefits of regular exercise at a subsidised price!

Why? Everyday their health professionals see people who could really improve their health with a little exercise. The scheme offers an easy and supportive way to make this lifestyle change.

Are you one of the 70% of men or 80% of women who don’t take enough exercise?

Eligible patients are referred to the scheme by their GP, physiotherapist or other health professionals.

So if you are are interested in being referred into the scheme make an appointment to see your GP, consultant or nurse and they will be able to tell you if you are suitable for the programme. As a general guide, the following conditions may mean you are eligible. (Please note it must be a low to medium risk, stable medical condition.)

• Stable angina
• Controlled hypertension
• Controlled asthma
• Cystic fibrosis
• Body Mass Index over 28
• Depression or anxiety
• Stable diabetes
• Osteoarthritis
• Mild to moderate depression

The scheme is available at:
Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre
The Weald Sports Centre – Cranbrook
Putlands Sports Centre – Paddock Wood

To find out more about the scheme have a look at the Exercise Referral Scheme Booklet.

The Good Neighbours provides a range of services aimed improving the health and wellbeing of older adults in Tunbridge Wells.

Services that they can offer include:

• Befriending scheme which includes, company and home visits, information on local clubs and activities, call and chat service, short term help if you are unwell.
• Help with forms and paperwork and services available to you.
• Support when attending a medical appointment
• Falls prevention classes – aimed to help prevent falls and the injuries that occur from them.

Contact them at:

Good Neighbour Project:

TWBC, 12 Upper Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 2EP.

Telephone: 01892 510200 or email: [email protected]

To find out more go to their website by following the link: www.goodneighbourproject.org.uk

Help for Hoarders is an online resource providing information, support and advice for hoarders, and their family and friends.

Help for Hoarders has tools, tips and help for people who hoard as well as a online forum for those wanting to contact people in similar situations.

If you need help and support on hoarding then this is a good place to start.

To find out more go to their website by following the link: www.helpforhoarders.co.uk

Homeless UK is an online resource providing advice and information on services, day centres and hostels. Find services or accommodation if you are having housing problems.

To go to the website click here, or go to the following link: www.homelessuk.org

To search for all services click here.

To search for accommodation click here.

Health Trainers offer free, confidential one-to-one support, to help patients make positive lifestyle changes. They work in the most deprived areas of Kent to reduce health inequalities. They offer up to six free sessions of support, encouragement and practical assistance in local venues. They work with you to establish what changes you wish to make, to develop a personalised behaviour change plan and to provide support and encouragement to enable you to achieve your goals.

Issues they can help you with include:

• accessing local services
• physical activity
• healthy eating
• healthy weight
• stopping smoking
• alcohol/drugs concerns
• reducing stress
• sexual health concerns.

Address: Health Trainer Service, Trinity House, 110-120 Upper Pemberton, Eureka Business Park, Ashford, Kent, TN25 4AZ.
Phone: 0800 849 4000 option three or email: Email: [email protected]

How do you use this service?
You can contact the service direct using the information given above or you can be referred by a GP or healthcare professional.

The Kent Sport website lists sports and activities throughout Kent to help you get more active.

Telephone: 01622 605054 / 605055 or email [email protected] or to go to their website click here, or go to the following link: www.kentsport.org

Be Active is one of the Six Ways to Wellbeing to find out more about how you can Be Active follow the link.

The Live It Well Website has a range of information and advice all designed to support your mental health and wellbeing. Find out about the Six Ways to Wellbeing and what people in Kent are doing to support their wellbeing.

We have information on money and benefits, debt help and advice, mental health services and how to get help in Kent and Medway.

We have a unique database of local support and help that is available in your community.

We have listings for all of the NHS Talking therapy providers in Kent, so if you are struggling find out how you can refer yourself into services here.

• Gives advice and links to other services
• Local focus website, with links to social activities, physical health and things to do in Kent and Medway
• Hosts the Live It Library - mental health recovery stories
• Offers support pages, live online support and local information
• Information on how the community mental health teams work and the mental health system in Kent and Medway
• Supports the Six Ways to Wellbeing and has local suggestions to support these - Connect, Be Active, Keep Learning, Take Notice, Give, and Planet - Care
• Employment , money and debt advice
• Information about personal budgets and self direct support
• Information on carers groups and service user networks
• Information on PTSD
• Information on Housing help and support

We are always looking to improve our website so if you have any ideas about how we can help let us know. To go to the home page go to www.liveitwell.org.uk or to contact Live It Well email: [email protected]

The Live Well Kent service is there to help people improve their mental and physical health and wellbeing. It is a free service for anyone over 17. Some of the things Live Well Kent can help with are:

Mental health and wellbeing

• Understanding and managing thoughts and emotions
• Achieving personal goals
• Accessing therapies and support groups.

Keeping active and healthy

• Healthy living support eg stopping smoking or cutting down on alcohol
• Dance clubs
• Walking groups and sporting activities.

Meeting people

• Volunteering
• Social enterprises and community projects
• Arts, music and culture groups.

Training and work

• Gaining new skills
• Finding the right job.

Everyday living

• Managing money, including debt and benefits
• Housing support and guidance

Live Well Kent’s aim is to connect people with their communities, ensuring they have access to the widest possible range of support and services to meet their particular needs.

So if you are looking for help and support for yourself or someone you know call on 0800 567 7699 or email [email protected] and they talk you through how we can help you and give the support and advice you need. To go to their website go to: www.livewellkent.org.uk

Live Well Kent is delivered on behalf of Kent County Council and the NHS by two charities, Porchlight and Shaw Trust.

Maidstone Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) provide services to adults people living in the community who are experiencing mental health problems.

Maidstone Community Mental Health Team, 180/186 Union Street, Maidstone, ME14 1EY. To see the location of this service on a google map click here.

Tel: 01622 766900. For their website click here or to find out more about Community Mental Health Teams click here.

• Referrals to the CMHTs are usually made directly through a GP
• The intake element of a CMHT acts as a single point of access for all referrals to mental health services that we provide.
• If you are referred to a team they will assess you, signpost and offer short-term treatment as close as possible to your home

www.kmpt.nhs.uk

Maidstone Mind are committed to supporting mental health and wellbeing in the community with a person centred approach. They offer a wide range of services which include:

• Arts and craft therapy
• Gardening project
• Cooking groups
• Social groups
• Walking group
• OCD Peer support
• Recovery group and Recovery Star guidance
• Coping with Life Courses (CBT based)
• Home visits for hoarders
• Befriending service
• Volunteer opportunities
• Support programme for hoarding

Maidstone Mind are also an accredited IAPT provider with counselling services.

Hoarding Service - Maidstone Mind provides home visits by appointment for individuals in the Maidstone area who hoard. They can also provide CBT specially for Hoarding. Individuals can self-refer or be referred by external agencies. Please contact Maidstone Mind for more information.

Address: 23 College Road, Maidstone, ME15 6YH. To see the location of this service on a google map click here. Telephone: 01622 692383 or email: [email protected]

To go to their website go to: www.maidstonemind.org

In collaboration with Age Maidstone, Brighter Futures and Maidstone Borough Council they provide a free Counselling Service to all Maidstone residents aged 50 and over.

The National Self Harm Network offers support, advice and advocacy services to people affected by self harm directly or in a care role.

The National Self Harm Network is an online resource which aims to:

• Support individuals who self harm to reduce emotional distress and to improve their quality of life
• Support and provide information for family and carers of individuals who self harm
• Empower and enable individuals that self harm to seek further support and alternatives to self harm
• Educate service providers and carers on matters relating to self harm, raise awareness, dispel myths and challenge misconceptions through providing information and training
• Resources and information about self harm

Click here to go to their website or follow the link: www.nshn.co.uk

Social care services help people who are in need of support due to illness, disability, old age or poverty. Social care services are available to everyone, regardless of background. However, social care is subject to rules about your needs and ability. Services can also support the families or carers of people who receive social care.

Services include:

• Support in your own home - helping you live independently in your own home.
• Your options if living in your own home is no longer possible.
• Paying for care & how much your care costs and how to pay for it.
• Caring for other people - help and support for those who regularly care for another person in Kent.
• Disability - services for people in Kent with a disability.
• How to get social care help
• Children in care and looked after children in Kent.
• Adoption and fostering

To find out more or follow the link: www.kent.gov.uk

The Salvation Army work with people who are vulnerable and marginalised they offer practical help, unconditional assistance and support.

Maidstone: The Salvation Army, Maidstone Corps, 74-80 Union Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1ED. To see the location of this service on a google map click here.

Tel: 01622 681 808 Email:[email protected]

Tunbridge Wells: The Salvation Army, Tunbridge Wells Corps, Bayhall Road, Tunbridge Wells
Kent, TN2 4UT. To see the location of this service on a google map click here.

Tel: 01892 523 849, 01892 531 080 (office), Email: [email protected]

• Clubs, support and night shelters for the vulnerable - please contact branch for details

TheSite.org is an online guide to life for 16-25 year olds in the UK. It provides non-judgmental support and information on everything from sex and stress to debt and drugs.

Straight-talking emotional support is available 24 hours a day. There are options for:

• Chatting about anything on moderated discussion boards and live chat rooms
• Browsing over 2000 articles and videos full of trustworthy facts
• Reading about the experiences of other young people in the True Life section
• Asking questions about friends, dating, love or family life to trained advisors – free and confidential

They have information and advice on:

• Sex & Relationships
• Your Body
• Mental Health
• Drink & Drugs
• Housing
• Money
• Work & Study
• Crime & Safety
• Travel & Lifestyle

www.thesite.org

The West Kent Eating Disorders Support Group For Carers is part of b-eat Self-Help Network and is being run in collaboration with Carers First in Tonbridge.

Carers First, 192 High Street, Tonbridge, TN9 1BE. To see the location of this service on a google map click here.

Telephone: 01732 357555 or email: [email protected]. To go to their web page click here, or go to the following link: www.eda-westkent.org.uk

The group meets on the last Thursday of every month from 7.30pm - 9.00pm. All parents, carers and friends of people with an eating disorder, or of people who they believe might have an eating disorder, or of people who might be at risk of developing an eating disorder are welcome.

There are three main types of eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.

West Kent Mind works to create a better life for everyone with experience of mental distress, they run many support groups and counselling.

West Kent Mind provides mental health support and help for people in Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Edenbridge, Westerham and surrounding areas.

Provides support for all and their friends, relatives and carers also run:

• Support groups for mums
• ASD Support Groups
• Stress
• Counselling
• Supported Housing

Address: Sevenoaks Centre, 34, St John’s Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 3LW. To see the location of this service on a google map click here.

Telephone: 01732 744950 or email: [email protected]

To go to their web page go to the following link: www.westkentmind.org.uk