Directory: Financial Wellbeing

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.

Citizens Advice provide free, confidential and impartial advice.  This means that you can be sure our advice is independent of any undue or commercial influence.They are trained and qualified to provide advice on many issues including:

Welfare benefits (including Universal Credit), Employment, Housing, Debt & money advice, Relationships matters, Discrimination, Access to help with food or fuel vouchers for those facing crisis due to financial hardship.

You can call Somerset Adviceline on 0808 27 87842. Monday & Friday 10am – 4pm. With longer hours on: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 10am – 8pm

Community fridge and larder tackles food waste and food poverty. Previously located in the Cheese and Grain car park, Market Yard, Frome it has now been temporarily moved to Frome Town Hall and can be found in the brick shed outside. Open daily 9am-5pm. Help yourself to food- no charge.

Community fridge and larder tackles food waste and food poverty. Situated between Screwfix and Aldi within The Haskins Retail Centre, Townsend, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5AX.

Open daily 9.30am-5.30pm. Help yourself to food, there is no charge.

Community Outreach is supporting change in people challenged by complex and multiple needs – such as homelessness, addiction, mental health or other life-controlling issues. Our skilled and dedicated team provide short and long-term, person-centred support to create real life difference.

Projects include the Frome Food bank for emergency food parcels, Furniture bank and Food at Five. To access any of our projects you can self refer to Fair Frome or be referred through other organisations such as the CAB, YMCA, Health Connections Mendip, Children’s Centre or a Health Visitor.

From Monday 17th April Fair Frome has moved to Unit 7 Longacre, Marston Trading Estate, Frome BA11 4BG.

The Food Bank supports community members in Frome and the surrounding BA11 area by providing emergency food parcels. These parcels provide a recipient with enough food for up to 3+ days.

Now based at Unit 7 Longacre, Marston Trading Estate, Frome, BA11 4BG. Parking available and close to the Sainsburys’ bus route.

Opening times are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10.00am – 1.00pm.

To access the Food Bank, you must be referred through organisations such as:
Health Connections Mendip – 01373 468368
Citizens Advice Mendip – 0808 278 7842
Frome Job Centre – 0800 050 6688

Offers pastoral support and practical help to anyone in the farming community (currently or retired) when they are facing challenges and tough times. All volunteers have a farming background and are trained to listen confidentially and without judgement, for as long as it takes to resolve difficult issues

Money worries and mental health often come hand in hand. Regardless of which came first, if you’re struggling to cope with debt these resources may help. We are here to help with your Financial Well-being and your financial future. If you are already a member or business partner of Westcountry Savings & Loans and you are based in North Somerset, you can contact our dedicated Financial Wellbeing Officers for more information.

Food at Five ‘Takeaway’ hot meals are continuing 3 days per week every week at 5pm.  Hot and nutritious meals with Vegetarian option always available.

Mondays outside The Key Centre, Feltham Lane. Wednesdays at the Cricket Club, Rodden Road.  Thursdays at Trinity Church Hall car park. Free to anyone on benefits or low income. Just turn up.

Parcels are distributed by the Salvation Army, however referrals have to be made via Health Connectors, Village Agents or the Citizens Advice Bureau.

If you are in need of a food parcel please call Health Connections on 01373 468368 Option 2 to complete a referral.

The food bank is manned Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 am to 12 noon:

The Salvation Army, Old Magistrates Court, 21 Commercial Rd, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5BU.

Referral only food bank, provided by The Salvation Army, Goswell Road, Street, BA16 0JG.  Collection times from Goswell Road, Street, BA16 0JG are Mondays 10am-1pm, Tuesdays 1pm-4pm, and Fridays 10am-1pm.

Coleford Community food larder is open on a Monday 1.30pm-3pm for collections. If you are in need, you can just turn up – you will find us outside The Hub, Church St, Coleford, Radstock, BA3 5NQ. 
If you are unable to get there in person, delivery would be available by prior arrangement after 3.30pm.
If you need to arrange an urgent food parcel on another day, please call Debbie on the below contact number.

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.

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).

Health Connectors are based in all the GP practices in the Mendip area. We can help you in a number of ways. We can work with you on a one-to-one basis – we listen to what is important to you and work with you on issues that you would like support with. We can link you up with services and organisations, help you manage long term conditions, help you meet new people, join groups or set goals that might improve your health and wellbeing. We can also help you set up new groups if it is needed in your area. We see people in GP practices or in your home if you are housebound. As well as linking you to groups and services, we also run groups such as Talking Cafes, Be Healthy Be Happy and Pain Management programmes.

We aim to ensure that people in Frome who are at risk of cold homes get the support they need. For households on low incomes living in houses with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or under this could include financial support of up to £10,000 towards improving the energy efficiency of your home.

The free Energy Essentials course is designed to enable you to provide energy advice to people in Frome. If you work in a role where you are in contact with the public, give advice or support on other issues, or would like to become a Healthy Homes volunteer, this training is for you.

Independent Age is a national charity providing support for older people facing financial hardship. They can offer free impartial advice and information on what matters most, money, housing, and care. Independent Age financially support local community organizations across the UK through their grants programme.

You can call their freephone Helpline, listed below,  Monday – Friday: 8.30am – 5.30pm (closed on bank holidays). You can also email your query to the address below to speak to one of the advisors.

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.

You can visit the following service points without an appointment:

Wells Library, Union Street, Wells, BA5 2PU – Saturday 10:00-11:00 am

Frome Library, Justice Lane, Frome, BA11 1BE – Saturday 10:00-11:00 am

Glastonbury Library, Archers Way, Glastonbury BA6 9JB – Saturday 10:00-11:30

Is a low income stopping you from accessing a bicycle? Get a bike voucher worth £100 from Life Cycle UK. Low-income Somerset residents can get £100 off a quality refurbished bike from our local partners, On Your Bike. A great way to stay healthy and save money on transport. For more information please visit Life Cycle’s website below.

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.

The Furniture Storehouse can provide good quality furniture to those in need. They can usually provide items such as beds, tables, chairs, sofas and white goods. The Storehouse receives referrals from local agencies for people with limited financial resources who need basic items of furniture.

Wells Foodbank and Furniture Storehouse, Unit 2, Keward Mill Trading Estate, Jocelyn Drive, Wells  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

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.

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