COVID 19 Update: Due to the current COVID 19 situation it is likely that many of the face to face organisations and services listed across our website are suspended. Please call to check first.
Do you want to find groups and support in the community that might help you improve your health and wellbeing? You can find lots of local support from charities to social groups in the Health Connections Mendip Directory.
Fair Frome-Food at Five is now offering a weekly takeaway service, starting Thursday 4th June 2020.
Operating from Trinity Church Hall car park in Frome.
Free to anyone on benefits or low income
Strict social distancing and hygiene practices will be in place and we kindly ask you help us with this to keep everyone safe
Vegan option available.
Harvest Church, Street provide a free cooked supper every Sunday from 7.00pm – 8.15pm at Elmhurst School, Elmhurst Lane, Street BA16 0HH.
The meal is free but donations are welcome. Contact Dylan for further information.
If you are concerned about someone sleeping rough on the streets, there are some local organisations that can give advice.
ELIM Connect (based at Wells) 01749 677097 has an outreach team. They have a 6 bed provision for the whole of Mendip which provides up to 7 nights’ accommodation, as part of a stepping stone arrangement into other accommodation.
They also have a drop-in surgery for people who are sleeping rough, see times below:
Monday 9am to 11am At Elim Connect Centre, Portway, Wells Breakfast drop in
Tuesday 11am to 1pm At at Fair Frome Foodbank, The Town hall, Christchurch Street West, Frome Drop in
Wednesday 12 noon to 2pm At Elim Connect Centre, Portway, Wells Community lunch drop in
Thursday 1pm to 3pm At The Red Brick Building, Morland Road, Glastonbury Drop in
Friday 3pm to 5pm At Elim Connect Centre, Portway, Wells Soup kitchen drop in
Mendip District Council Access Points
Homeless Drop In Support – Shape Shepton, Shepton Mallet, 8.30-4.30pm
Or as a first port of call, you can go to one of the Access Points below:
Glastonbury: The Library, 1 Orchard Court, Archers Way, Glastonbury BA6 9JB. Open: 10am – 4.30pm Monday Tuesday & Thursday, 10am – 1pm Friday. Closed each day beween 1-2pm.
Street: Crispin Community Centre, Leigh Road, Street BA16 0HA. Open: 10am – 4.30pm Monday, Wednesday & Thursday. Closed each day beween 1-2pm.
Wells: Wells Town Hall, Market Place, Wells BA5 2RB. Open: 10am – 4.30pm Tuesday, 10am – 4:30pm Wednesday & Friday. Closed each day beween 1-2pm.
Frome: The Library, Justice Lane, Frome BA11 1BE. Open: 9:30am – 4:30pm Monday to Friday. Closed each day beween 1-2pm.
Shepton Mallet: The Council Offices and Shape Mendip: Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm.
Routes drop-in centre – Palmer Street. Support for young people.
Advice drop-in session times: weekdays 10am-5pm Young people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness can access support by calling 01749 679553 or visiting the Routes hub.
Below Zero Degrees
An emergency shelter is opened in Mendip when the temperature reaches or is expected to fall below 0 degrees for three consecutive nights. Please contact the places above for details.
Food Banks and CAB – please see people above or find details on the Health Connections Mendip website www.healthconnectionsmendip.org
Positive People offers a lifeline to people who are not in work, no matter what the reason. It can help build confidence, skills and give people a sense of hope for their future.
The programme offers 1:1 support to help people move forward with life, and can help people get involved with new and exciting activities to help build confidence and meet new people. It also provides free specialised support towards overcoming barriers to work such as anxiety or isolation issues, access to benefits, housing, financial or other health issues.
The programme is open to anyone over 18 who is out of work. You can access this service without a referral.
Youth With A Future (YWAF) work alongside other organisations to support young people aged 16-25 who are homeless or threatened with homelessness and those in supported housing projects in the Mendip area of Somerset and also supports local positive youth initiatives and activities.
If you’re a kidney patient struggling to make ends meet we can help you. We provide personal grants to help pay for – Domestic costs, Household items, Travel expenses, Higher education / training / qualifications.
Who is eligible
Our personal grants are available to -Dialysis patients and families on low income, Transplant patients and those receiving conservative care, if health and quality of life is being seriously affected by your renal condition.
What we can fund
Domestic costs: we can help with some domestic bills such as car insurance and tax, heating costs and rent. We may also help with the purchase of domestic goods like washing machines, beds and carpets.
Travel costs: we may be able to help with travel costs to your hospital if you have to travel a long way and have no support from your unit. We don’t help with travel costs for ongoing dialysis.
Further education and training: we may be able to cover the cost of university or college fees, IT equipment for education and give support for courses enabling return to work.
Applying for a grant Please read our Applying for financial aid guide You’ll need to contact your kidney unit social worker or a member of the kidney care team, as all applications for financial aid should come to us on a grant form completed with their input. However, if there’s no member of staff able to help, our advocacy officers can be contacted by contacting Kidney Care UK.
SSAFA provides lifelong support to anyone who is currently serving or has ever served in the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the British Army or the Royal Air Force.
Our trained volunteers can provide practical, emotional and financial support if and when you need it. Our network of local branches means that help and advice is close at hand. When you contact us for support we will put you in touch with one of our experienced advisers in the Mendip area. It is often the little things which make the most difference but we are also experienced at dealing with complex problems.
Credit unions enable people in a community to come together to save ethically and to borrow money at competitive rates. 100% of members’ savings are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Like all other credit unions, MCCU is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.
Our Service points:
Crispin Centre, Leigh Road, Street, Somerset, BA16 0HP:
Every Friday 10:00am – 12:00pm
Frome, Glastonbury & Wells libraries:
Every Saturday 10:00am -12:00pm
The Salvation Army Hall, 21 Commercial Road, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5BU:
Every Tuesday 10:00am – 12:00pm
The Key Centre, Feltham Lane, Frome, Somerset, BA11 5AJ:
Every Thursday 9:00am – 11:30am
Delivers services to support people living in poverty.
Projects include: A Frome Food bank for emergency food parcels. A Kitchen Utensil Project for a kitchen pack, items include plates, cutlery, saucepans and utensils. A Washing Project with packs that include pegs, a washing basket, washing powder and launderette tokens. Dining events for people to come together, to socialise, learn new cooking skills and enjoy a free meal.
Venue: Fair Frome, Frome Town Hall, Christchurch Street West, Frome BA11 1EB.
To access any of our projects you can self refer to Fair Frome or be referred through other organisations such as the CAB, YMCA, Children’s Centre or a Health Visitor.
We may be able to help people in need, living in the South West, with funding for respite holidays, days away, taxis etc. Registered charity 1069330
The Glastonbury food bank operates via a telephone referrals and delivery system.
The food bank prepares parcels and delivers them to individuals in Glastonbury and the surrounding areas. The BA6 postcode is a good guide to the areas covered by the food bank.
Requests for food are made by phone through local agencies such as Citizen’s Advice Bureau.
If you are a local agency and would like to make a referral you need to provide the following information.
– Name, address and contact number.
– Reason for the referral.
– The number of people the box is for.
– Any special dietary requirements.
– The age of any children; and
– How long the crisis is likely to last (i.e. when they will next have money).
We serve free food on Glastonbury High Street , 5ish, once a week and often have other events where we serve free blessed food to the community. Food is served on Wednesdays.
Benedict Street, Glastonbury. Friday soup lunch 10:30am -2.30pm. Free soup and dessert every friday.
(Street Level Access Programme) is a charitable project supporting change in people challenged by complex and multiple needs – such as homelessness, addiction, mental health or other life-controlling issues. We offer food 3 times a week – breakfast, community lunch and a soup session. We provide emergency food parcels in partnership with Storehouse Food and send food to our direct access housing project. (no pasta or beans please). Emma Rossi, Service Manager.
Harvest Church, Somerton Rd, Street offers a free lunch drop-in every weekday 12.00pm -1.00pm at Southside Car Park (behind the Crispin Centre). Also, available on a Friday are a small range of groceries.
Contact Dylan on the number below for further information.
The Bridge Cafe at 43 Selwood Rd, Frome is a place where people with mental health problems, homelessness or other issues may be able to find support, warmth and affordable food/drinks. Tony Perry also offers an advice service on disability benefits and claims & appeals on Thursdays and Fridays 11:00-1:30pm.
Community Café: Tuesday & Wednesday 11:00-1:30pm and Thursday & Friday 11:00-4:00pm
Food Bank: Referrals can be made to Fair Frome.
Hardship Fund: Thursday & Fridays 11:00-1:30pm
Offers a wide range of support services to rough sleepers, the homeless, socially isolated and those struggling with addictions.
Also offer skills training and one to one counselling as well as a secure mail address, and access to showers and minimal cost Laundry. Main Office: Elim Connect Centre, Portway, Wells BA5 2BE.
Rough Sleeper Information:
If you are rough sleeping in this area or you are worried that you will be, you can drop into Elim Connect Centre to access their Community Outreach Service where somebody will be there to help you
When and where you are able to get help if you are sleeping rough.
Monday 9am to 11am At Elim Connect Centre, Portway, Wells Breakfast drop in
Tuesday 11am to 1pm At at Fair Frome Foodbank, The Town hall, Christchurch Street West, Frome Drop in
Wednesday 12 noon to 2pm At Elim Connect Centre, Portway, Wells Community lunch drop in
Thursday 1pm to 3pm At The Red Brick Building, Morland Road, Glastonbury Drop in
Friday 3pm to 5pm At Elim Connect Centre, Portway, Wells Soup kitchen drop in
Free support to use computers and to do job searches at Cheese and Grain, Frome. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays 10-12noon.
Mendip CAB provides free, independent and confidential advice on: Debt, Housing, Employment, Welfare Benefits, Family and Personal Matters, Consumer Contracts, Legal Procedures and Education.
For advice on grants for home heating improvements and reviewing and changing your energy tariffs for a better deal please contact masdap@mendipcab.org.uk
Frome 5 King St, Frome, BA11 1BH. Monday, Wednesday & Friday 10 – 2pm 03444 889623
Street Crispin Community Centre, Leigh Rd, Street, BA16 0EZ. Monday & Wed 10 – 1pm 03444 889623
Glastonbury Telephone Service 03 444 889 623
Shepton Mallet Highfield House, Shape Mendip Campus, Cannards Grave Rd, BA4 5BT. Tuesday & Thursday 10 – 1pm. 0344 411 1444
Wells Town Hall, Wells, BA5 2RB. Monday, Wednesday & Friday 10 – 1pm 0344 411 1444
Glastonbury Van Service Temporarily suspended please call the telephone service on 03 444 889 623
Parcels are distributed by the Salvation Army, however referrals have to be made via Citizens Advice. The Salvation Army, Old Magistrates Court, 21 Commercial Rd, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5BU.
Is open for the collection of food parcels Wednesday/Saturday mornings 10.30-12.30
Only accepts referrals from agencies working with vulnerable people. Vineyard Church, Burcott Road, Wells.
Drop in for free coffee and cake, a chat, friendship. A warm welcome every Monday 10.30-12:00 during term-time. Street Baptist Church, Glaston Road, Street, Somerset, BA16 OAN
Provides free, impartial, local energy saving advice. This includes telephone advice on keeping warm and well in winter, cutting your energy bills, limited home visits and information on funding for energy saving improvements. The Home Energy Team provides in-depth support to households across Somerset who may be struggling with keeping warm and well at home. For further information, call free on , email or visit.