CHARITIESORGANISATIONS TO SIGNPOST TO Local contact Susan Compton

CHARITIES/ORGANISATIONS TO SIGNPOST TO

• Local contact - Susan Compton - Totton • Joint Poppy Appeal Organiser • Totton and Eling Royal British Legion – Run regular support groups at Totton and Eling Community Centre • LIVE ON • Tel. 023 8087 3143 to enquire • poppy@compark. co. uk • National helpline 08088028080 • Email: info@britishlegion. org. uk • Web: rbl. org. uk

• Handy Van Service part of the The Royal British Legion is in place to help people to live safe and well in their home. • Aids & Adaptions • Disabled Facilities Grants • Care assessments & direct Payments • Mobility Issues • Access to Support Groups • Social Isolation • Advocacy • They also offer Handy Van Service • Self–refer on 080 8802 8080

• The Royal British Legion’s Handy Vans Service provides eligible armed forces personnel, veteran's and their dependents with home repairs and maintenance allowing them to remain safe in their homes. • Household Safety Checklist • Changing Lightbulbs and Tap Washers • Putting up Shelves and Grab Rails • Fitting Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors • Fitting and Changing Door Locks and other security features. • Building Access Ramps and storage sheds to house Legionprovided electronically powered vehicles. • Installing Care Phones.

• Telephone Self-Refer Service: Freephone 0808 2020 144 • Welfare Advice • Supporting with Psychological Wellbeing through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy • Financial Assistance • Sports Recovery Therapy • Injury Advice • Open weekdays - 9 am-5 pm • Email: hidden. wounds@helpforhereos. org. uk • Web: www. helpforheroes. org. uk/hidden-wounds

• For confidential mental health advice • Contact our 24 -hour Helpline • National Charity for Veteran and families • Tel: 0800 138 1619 • Text: 07537404719 • Email: helpline@combatstress. org. uk • Web: www. combatstress. org. uk

• This is a digital mental health service for people aged 16+. It is available for serving members of the UK military, reservists and veterans and their family members aged 16+. It is available for serving members of the UK military, reservists and veterans, and their family members aged 16+. • Telephone: 0203 741 8080 • Email: theteam@bigwhitewall. com • Web: http: //www. bigwhitewall. com/ • Services include: • Support Network 24/7 professionally moderated online peer support, self-management information, creative arts and writing therapies. • Big White Wall is experienced in supporting this community with a range of issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, family and relationships, alcoholism and bereavement. This also extends to loneliness and related issues in caring for those who have been injured. Big White Wall offers a combination of services, such as Peer Support and Guided Support as well as useful tips and advice. Because everyone is totally anonymous, there is no fear of stigma, and their Wall Guides (trained counsellors) are on hand 24/7, so there is always someone to talk to and every member can feel they are in a safe place. Whether you are feeling down, or having trouble readjusting to civilian life, Big White Wall is there to help you take control and feel better. You can sign up from the comfort of your own home by simply going to www. bigwhitewall. com and clicking ‘Join now’.

• Walking with the wondered head start programme can offer up to 12 sessions of therapy close to home through a national network of private accredited therapists for ex-service personnel. If you are a former member of the armed forces and are experiencing low mood, worry, intrusive thoughts, nightmare or trouble sleeping you may be in need of support with one or more of the following areas: depression, anxiety, PTSD and adjustment disorder. Should you believe this may be you then you could be eligible for support. Contact your GP or healthcare professional and ask to be referred to the Head Start programme. • Telephone: 01263 868 900 • Email: info@wwtw. org. uk Website: wwtw. org. uk • Head Start exists to complement NHS and other 3 rd sector organisations in the provision of mental health support to ex-service personnel. Through a national network of accredited therapists we fund private face to face evident-based therapy for those with mild to moderate mental health difficulties such as depression, anxiety, post traumatic illnesses and adjustment, including for those who simultaneously misuse substances. • The NHS is central to ex-service personnel receiving support with their mental health. However where the local NHS and its veteran specific services have limited geographical coverage and long waiting lists, Head Start offers an alternative. • Established in 2010, Walking With The Wounded provides vulnerable veterans independence through employment. WWTW recognises the inherent skills of our armed service personnel and wants to compliment these qualities, as well as provide support to transfer their skills into the civilian workplace. We offer assistance through our programmes to those vulnerable veterans who have been physically, mentally or socially disadvantaged by their service and assist them in gaining independence through new long term careers outside of the military. This includes providing support to homeless veterans and veterans in the Criminal Justice System, areas which are too often ignored.

• Sign Post to the British Red Cross for free Home Support for 6 weeks. • Email - New. Forest. Support. At. Home@redcross. org. uk • New Forest Support Telephone: 07802 869319 • Rebuilding confidence and social networks • Companionship • Essential shopping • Low level practical support • Accompanying on trips, e. g. to bank • Signposting to other organisations

• Heads Together is a mental health initiative spearheaded by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, which combines a campaign to tackle stigma and change the conversation on mental health with fundraising for a series of innovative new mental health services. • Significant progress has been made to tackle stigma surrounding mental health in recent decades, but it still remains a key issue driven by negative associations, experience and language. Through this campaign, Their Royal Highnesses have built on the great work that is already taking place across the country, to ensure that people feel comfortable with their everyday mental well being, feel able to support their friends and families through difficult times, and that stigma no longer prevents people getting the help they need. • In April 2017 Heads Together was the charity of the year for the Virgin Money London Marathon, which became the first Marathon for Mental Health raising the profile of this important issue and inspiring people to talk about their own mental health for the first time. • Heads together brings together a team of inspirational charities working on mental health issues close to the passions of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke of Sussex. The campaign is supported by three Founding Partners who share our mission of ending stigma and changing the conversation on mental health.

• If you need urgent help, please call Samaritans on 116 123. They’re available to offer support 24/7 every single day of the year. • If you are looking for general mental health support Heads Together Charity Partners are there for you. • Whether we struggle with disappointing exam results, the loss of a job, a relationship break-up, depression, anxiety or any other mental health challenge, we all struggle with our mental health at times, and we all need support. • Friends and family can be a great first response. However, sometimes we feel alone, or those closest to us don’t know how to help. • The good news is that here in the UK there is always someone to turn to. Many of our Heads Together partners, and many other organisations, run confidential helplines and online services staffed by volunteers who can relate to the difficult times you or someone you know may be going through. See below for support that is available to you

There are other charities who provide support: • THE MIX For people under 25 • The Mix is here to take on the embarrassing problems, weird questions, and please-don’t-make-me-say-it-out-loud thoughts that people under 25 have. They offer a free & confidential helpline available 365 days a year via phone, email or webchat. They also have discussion boards and live chat. • YOUNG MINDS For Parents run a free, confidential parents helpline, which parents / carers can call if they are worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. They also run a group called Parents Say, for parents whose children are accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. • Contact For the armed forces community is a collaboration on mental health charities and organisations that offer support for veterans. A wide range of support is available through these organisations for servicemen and women and their families. • For men CALM offer an accredited confidential, anonymous and free support, information and signposting to men anywhere in the UK through our helpline. This helpline and a webchat service they offer is is open 7 days a week, 5 pm to midnight. Callers can talk through any issue, they’ll listen and offer information and signposting. Calls won’t show up on your phone bill and are free from landlines, payphones and all mobiles.

• Cobseo, as the Confederation of Service Charities, provides a single point of contact for interaction with Government, including local government and the Devolved Administrations; with the Royal Household; with the Private Sector; and, of course, with other members of the Armed Forces Community. This allows Cobseo members to interact with all interested parties and especially to cooperate and collaborate with others in order to provide the best possible level of support to beneficiaries. • How COBSEO can help you: • They develop policies for dealing with issues of common concern, providing direct access to individual member charities, ensuring your voice is heard across various government groups and committees. • The Values of Cobseo - It has been agreed that members of the Confederation of Service Charities should share the following values: • Support – the principle focus of our activities must be to aid our beneficiaries; • Co-operation – embrace every opportunity to collaborate with others, to enhance the support available to our beneficiaries; • Innovation – develop new ideas and practices that will add real value to our activities and that have lasting impact on our beneficiaries; • Integrity – operate to ensure that we are open and honest, always acting in the best interests of our beneficiaries; • Accountability – ensure that our standards of Governance and procedures are fully compliant with best practice. • Compliance – guarantee that all our fundraising activities are in line with the current Code of Fundraising Practice, ensuring the good reputation of the Service Charity sector.

• The Stated objectives of Cobseo are to represent, promote and further the interest of the Armed Forces Community by: • Exchanging and coordinating information internally. • Identifying issues of common concern and coordinating any necessary and appropriate action. • Acting as a point of contact for external agencies to the members of Cobseo. • Representing and supporting the needs and opinions of its member organisations, individually and collectively at central & local government levels and with other national and international agencies. • The Health of Veterans’ Research Team (HVRT) HVRT produces objective literature reviews in support of the Medical Advisory Committee and is based at King Edward VII’s Hospital. The HVRT has just launched their website which will act as a useful and reliable online resource on veterans’ health providing current literature reviews, exclusive data and news updates. The HVRT compiles information about emerging health issues in Service Personnel to produce literature reviews which will be made freely available on their website.

• The objective of the Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) is to promote the long-term health of the Armed Forces Community by providing independent and impartial medical advice on matters affecting veterans’ health. • The MAC does not have an advocacy remit, but it provides advice when requested by the British Members’ Council (BMC), the Confederation of British Service Charities (Cobseo), the Service charities, the Armed Forces Clinical Reference Group (AFCRG) and others. • Additionally, it also proactively brings issues affecting the health of Service personnel and veterans to the attention of the appropriate bodies where threats to health have been identified. This might include providing comments on recent research findings or news in the press relevant to the health of the Armed Forces Community, and any resulting suggestions on areas for research by the appropriate body. • As the MAC does not have its own infrastructure, its meetings are hosted by the Royal British Legion, while the Health of Veterans Research Team (HVRT) is based at King Edward VII’s Hospital.

• The Cobseo Housing Cluster is made up of a wide range of charitable and social housing organisations that provide veteran-specific accommodation. This ranges from specialist hostel and supported housing projects for those with a specific need to family accommodation in assured and assured shorthold tenancies. • The Cluster is working to provide more accommodation for the ex Service community and to bring about an integrated veterans’ housing sector with clear pathways for ex-Service personnel in housing need to move into permanent homes. This process involves learning more about our respective services together with the development of a shared strategy to bring about greater jointworking and more effective interaction with external stakeholders including Veterans in housing need, Local Authorities, civilian homelessness charities and central Government. • Membership is open to any Full or Associate Cobseo Member who provides Veteran-specific housing and has the will to work together with other providers to improve the provision of housing to ex. Service personnel.

• The Cluster is a combination of 30 veterans’ housing organizations and charities formed to provide veteran specific housing and create an integrated veterans’ housing sector, with clear pathways for ex-Service personnel and their families in housing need to move into permanent homes. • Formed in 2009, the purpose of the clusters is to enable collaborative working across all the sectors to ensure the Armed Forces Community has access to the provisions and services that are needed. • Veterans’ Gateway – Access to Housing Advice The Veterans’ Housing Advice service, initially provided by the Cobseo group of charities, and delivered by The Royal British Legion, Connect Assist and Shelter, has now been merged into Veterans’ Gateway. The service is accessible 24/7 and supported by a resident housing specialist located at the Contact Centre. • The team aim to support veterans in finding, securing or maintaining accommodation by utilising the skills and resources of the Cobseo Housing Cluster, local authority contacts and other housing providers. Information can be accessed by telephone, email, live chat, social media, and on the website by visiting Veterans’ Gateway/Self Help/Housing. • The aim of the ICSN Cluster is to develop an understanding and help to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and collaborative effort of the many statutory, charity and voluntary organisations that provide information, advice and guidance (IAG) to the Armed Forces Community. The Forces in Mind Trust is the lead for this Cluster

• Support offered to families through Scotty’s Little Soldiers. • When Nikki Scott founded Scotty’s Little Soldiers her aim was to provide opportunities for bereaved Forces children to smile again. She soon realised that these fun activities did so much more than just raising a smile, they actually helped with the grieving process. Group events provided not just an opportunity to enjoy the day but also to develop new friendships with other children sharing a special bond. She realised that helping the children smile was just part of the mission and that these special individuals needed more support than first realised. • The Support Programme aims to provide this extra assistance. The team at Scotty’s can help organise fully funded, professional bereavement counselling, often provided by our friends at Winston’s Wish who have a dedicated military bereavement programme supported by Help for Heroes. • All beneficiaries have access to the exclusive Member Zone web portal which provides information on all the help and assistance available to families. Everything from booking holiday breaks to applying for small grants can be carried out through the site. • New for 2017 is the appointment of a Family Support Worker to provide dedicated, one to one support to the charity’s beneficiaries. The Family Support Worker can help organise counselling, provide immediate assistance in times of distress and help provide information on all kinds of support which might be available to families, including financial advice and support from other charities and organisations. • Website address - http: //scottyslittlesoldiers. co. uk/how-we-help/support/ • Email - hello@scottyslittlesoldiers. co. uk • Contact Number - 08000 928 571