Free help to anyone in debt. Frome centre run in partnership with Holy Trinity Church. Help is available to people living in BA11 Frome and BA3 Coleford postcode area.

Free and impartial money advice, set up by government. Advice and guides to help improve your finances, tools and calculators to help keep track and plan ahead and support over the phone and online.

Referral only food bank. Provided by The Salvation Army-Street.  For any local professional or agency to make a referral please call 07511 313339, Monday-Friday.

Collection times from Goswell Road, Street, BA16 0JG are Mondays 10am-1pm, Tuesdays 1pm-4pm, and Fridays 10am-1pm.

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 days/times below:

MONDAY: Breakfast drop 9am to 11am at Elim Connect Centre, Portway, Wells

TUESDAY: Tuesday 11am to 1pm at Frome Foodbank, Frome Town Hall, Christchurch Street West, Frome

WEDNESDAY: Community lunch 12 noon to 2pm At Elim Connect Centre, Portway, Wells

THURSDAY: 1pm to 3pm At The Red Brick Building, Morland Road, Glastonbury

FRIDAY: Soup kitchen 3pm to 5pm At Elim Connect Centre, Portway, Wells

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: Shepton Mallet: The Council Offices and Shape Mendip: Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm.

Homelessness support and advice for young people from YMCA Mendip. 

Young people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness can access support by calling 01749 679553 or visiting the YMCA website.

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 http://healthconnectionsmendip.org

*Covid update – currently holding a Digital Café Tues 10-12. Contact Mike 07961 716329 or Suzi 07961 716201*

Positive People offers a lifeline to people who are not in work to help build confidence, skills and give a sense of hope for the future. The projects give people the opportunity to get involved in local communities, meet new people and have fun through a range of activities. 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.

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.

* All our service points are currently closed, however our volunteers are still dealing with loan applications, share withdrawals and queries from existing members.  You can get in touch with the details below:

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 are CURRENTLY CLOSED – please call or write to:

Delivers services to support people living in poverty.

Projects include Frome Food bank for emergency food parcels, a Kitchen Utensil Project for a kitchen pack, a Washing Project with packs that include pegs, a washing basket, washing powder and launderette tokens.

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).

COVID-19 Update: Please note due to current coronavirus restrictions this service may be affected. Please check with the service provider.

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.

MONDAY to FRIDAY: Market Cross, Glastonbury, 4pm, hot food, rice and dahl.

TUESDAYS: United Reform Church, Glastonbury, morning bacon butties and hot drinks.

THURSDAYS: St Benedict’s Church, Benedict Street, Glastonbury 12pm – 1.30pm. Free lunch – takeaway service only.

SATURDAY: United Reform Church, Glastonbury, morning bacon butties and hot drinks.

SATURDAY: Music Shop, High St, Glastonbury, 4.30pm, hot pasta meals.

(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.

COVID-19 Update: Please note due to current coronavirus restrictions this service may be affected. Please check with the service provider.

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

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

The Mendip offices remain closed at this time. Please get in touch using the new freephone number or go to the website.

NEW freephone number: 0808 27 87 842 (closed 24th Dec to 3rd Jan)

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.

Unit 2 Keward Mill Trading estate BA5 1DA

Worried about energy bills? The Home Energy Team 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 for people living in Mendip. The Home Energy Team provides in-depth support to households across Somerset who may be struggling with keeping warm and well at home.

Call free: Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm