Community Support Information
Brighton & Hove Buses is proud to work within the communities we serve.
To provide an extra helping hand to our communities; our Community Team have been collecting together some community support information in partnership with many of our local and national partners.
With schools closed, we know it can be difficult to find stuff to do to occupy your kids whilst staying safe at home. We know that loads of kids (and big kids too) love buses!
We've created some colouring sheets for you to download and print off, as well as looking through our electronic archives. Check out our activities page and get creative.
Here is a link to Join Our Meerkat Hunt by Brighton and Hove city council. A great to make your daily family walk more exciting.
We have also added in other activities for keep fit links. As well as this, there are numerous links to community support information; including official government and council advice.
This web page is being updated daily therefore if you or your organisation wish to be added to this information page please contact the community team - Victoria and Sam - via community@buses.co.uk
We are are helping in other ways too. Information notifying homeless people of support and help is being displayed across the city's real time boards in partnership with Brighton and Hove City Council.
Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who has helped us put this information page together. Your contributions have been invaluable. The coronavirus has already changed our lives in so many ways and catapulted us into uncharted waters but we believe we can come through this together.
#TogetherWeCanDoThis
Bus information
Train Information
Keep Fit whilst #StayHome - Helpful links for at home fitness
- BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, 10 minute physical exercise routines from Sport England to get you stretching and moving, broadcast every 15 minutes
- P.E. With Joe - Joe Wicks Daily P.E. class, 9am Monday to Friday
- Brighton & Hove council fall prevention to help with balance
- British Blind Sport
Other activities whilst #StayHome
- Activities for older people at home
- Virtual Museum tours
- Coronavirus - A book for children - a free information book explaining the coronavirus to children, illustrated by Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler
- Join Our Meerkat Hunt - Follow this link to print and colour your own Meerkat, stick them in your window then find others on your daily family walk.
- Reboot and Active Sussex - Activities for teens and families via Youtube
GOV.UK Official advice - Including NHS and County Council information
- NHS Advice - 111
- UK Government Advice on coronavirus - includes information on testing, employment, housing, driving, school openings, international travel and many more.
- Register on Gov.uk for vulnerable people to receive help and support
- Further Gov.uk guidance if you are vulnerable
- UK Government advice on safely providing essential support for friends and family in isolation
- East Sussex Council - 0345 608 0190 - 8.30am to 5pm (4.30pm on Fridays)
- West Sussex Council - 01243 777100
- Surrey County Council - 03456 009 009 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
- NHS Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group - Coronavirus updates and Community Connectors
Brighton and Hove Council
Coronavirus - Updates and changes to services
Switchboard- 01273 290000. Concessionary Travel - 01273 296270
Supporting your wellbeing
Request help for yourself or someone else
Covid Brighton & Hove
A new online coronavirus help directory has launched, providing trusted information on COVID-19 to residents of Brighton & Hove.
COVID Brighton & Hove is a new central resource which will be updated daily with the latest welfare advice, support offers, public health advice and all the vital rapidly changing information on COVID-19. It has a special focus on protecting and supporting the most vulnerable and excluded members of our communities.
Local charities Community Works and The Trust for Developing Communities set up this website in coordination with Brighton & Hove City Council, health organisations and local charities and community groups. The project was made possible by support from NHS Brighton & Hove Clinical Commissioning Group and Sussex Community Foundation.
Community Groups in Brighton & Hove area
Community groups in East, West, Central and North Brighton
UK Power Network
This document provides useful information on how to contact UK Power Network in an emergency, and the Priority Services Register.
East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service - Home Safety Visits
East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service can now carry out special virtual "visits" over the phone where they can talk to you about the fire risk in your home, after which they may:
- Post you further information leaflets AND / OR
- Post you smoke alarms to fit yourself OR
- If the risk is high and no one in your home is able to fit a smoke alarm they will take protective precautions and fit a smoke alarm for you in your home
Please feel free to contact on behalf of a friend or relative, but their permission would be needed first.
If you would like to find out more about a Home Safety Visit, you can either:
- Call on 0800 177 7069
- Complete and return a Home Safety Visit Request Form, which should be sent to Homefire.Safetyvisits@esfrs.org
A member of the Community Safety Team will then be in contact to arrange a suitable time for a telephone chat, who will ask a few simple questions regarding your property and the occupants. This will then help determine how best to assist.
Mental Health and anxiety support and information
- Anxiety UK - 0344 477 5774
- Community Roots - Helpline- 0808 196 1768 - General Queries - 01273 405 800
- NHS Every Mind Matters
- Mind - 01273 666950
- MindOut - 01273 234839
- Samaritans - 0330 094 5717 or Free from any phone - 116 123. Monday 10am–10pm Tuesday 10am –2 pm / 8pm–10pm Wednesday 10am–10pm Thursday 10am–10pm Friday 10am–10pm Saturday 2pm–10pm Sunday 10am–10pm
- Cruse Bereavement Care - Brighton & Hove - 01273 234007 - Eastbourne - 01323 642942
- MindEd - Helping front line staff in the NHS and care services manage their own mental health and well-being.
Advice and support for people living with dementia and also carers
- Alzheimer’s Society - Head office - 0330 333 0804 Dementia Connect Support Line - 0333 150 3456
- Dementia UK - Head Office - 020 8036 5400 - Dementia Helpline - 0800 888 6678
- How you can support people with Dementia in your community.
Support and advice for carers
- Carers UK - 020 7378 4999
- Carers Centre Brighton & Hove - 01273 746222 Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm
- Care for the Carers East Sussex - 01323 738390 Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm
Ageing Well support and advice
Their website has really helpful links and information on all these:
Befriending, Carer info, Coronavirus Government information, Dementia Info, Digital Help. Domestic Violence Advice. Entertainment and Exercise info. Financial advice. LGBT services, Shopping and prescription delivery info.
As well as their Ageing Well Directory
And some At Home activities
They have also sent us more really helpful documents:
Guidance if you or someone in your household becomes unwell
Supermarket opening times and food delivery - for vulnerable people, NHS staff etc
Information on seeing a dentist
Hospital Discharge Well-being service
call or text 07770 061072
Information and support if you have a sight impairment
- Sight Advice FAQ’s - from RNIB, Guide Dogs, Visionary, Victa, Fight For Sight, Vision UK, Macular Society
- East Sussex Association of Blind and Partially Sighted People - 01323 832252 Monday - Thursday 9am - 4.30pm
- Information on Fraud Prevention
- Blind Veterans - Helpline - 0800 389 7979 - Brighton - 01273 307811
- British Blind Sport
Information and support for people with a hearing impairment
- Action on Hearing Loss - 01273 840960 Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm
- Sign Health- The Deaf health charity -020 3947 2600 Monday - Sunday 8am -12am - BSL information on the coronavirus
LGBTQ
- LGBTQ Switchboard Brighton & Hove - 01273 359042 Wednesday and Thursday - 7pm – 9:30pm
- MindOut - 01273 234839
Fraud and Scam Awareness Advice
- Alzheimer's Society have asked us to share this document on scams which has been made in collaboration with National Trading Standards
- National Trading Standards - Beware of COVID-19 scams
- Crown Prosecution Service - (CPS)
- Neighbourhood Watch
Loneliness and isolation support and information
- Campaign To End Loneliness - 0203 8653908
- AbilityNet - This FREE webinar will offer information and support on how you can stay connected with family and friends using technology during a time of social isolation - and to learn skills for when it is no longer necessary.
- Together Co - Support Us and Coronavirus information. Telephone Befriending service: 01273 775888
Domestic and Sexual Violence Support
- Survivor's Network - Rape Crisis Centre for Sussex - Helpline Mon & Wed 12-2pm: 01273 720110. Still taking Counselling and ISVA referrals. Resource list for lockdown, including a self help guide for survivors, here.
- Rise 01273 622 828 Monday –Friday 9am - 5pm
- Women's Aid Survivors' Forum
- The Portal - 0300 323 9985
- BHCC Advice
Support for Women
Other group information
As well as the links above we have also added information from:
Amaze Sussex
Amaze Sussex is a local charity working with disabled 0 to 25 year olds and their families.
Amaze helpline (Brighton & Hove and East Sussex): sendiass@amazesussex.org.uk Tel. 01273 772289 - Monday to Friday 9.30am to 2.30pm
Amaze FAQ about the coronavirus for parent carers of children with SEND Brighton & Hove
Amaze FAQ about the coronavirus for parent carers of children with SEND East Sussex
Leisure, Learning and Lock-down
Age UK
National information from Age UK
0800 678 1602 Monday - Sunday 8am to 7pm
Age UK West Sussex
Information and Advice, Telephone befriending, Doorstep Deliveries, Welfare and Safety Support, Wellbeing advice.
If you’d like to access any of the services above, or you’re worried about an older friend or family member at this time, please call on 01903 731800 or email information@ageukwestsussex.org.uk
Press release here - Includes information on food collections.
The Bevy
The Bevy community pub in Moulsecoomb is providing a ‘Meals on Wheels’ style service to vulnerable local people who can’t get out to buy food during the Covid-19 crisis.
If you live in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean, have been told not to or cannot leave your home and would like to receive one of these meals, or know someone who would then please phone 01273 281009
Brighton and Hove City Council – Falls prevention advice
You can watch exercise 'snacks' three times a day, via Facebook and then they're available on YouTube. Search 'Make Movement Your Mission'
If anyone has a family member or friend who might benefit but can't use the IT, it might work if they watch the films themselves so that they can get the information, perhaps make some notes, then talk through it next time they're in touch. You can share with your colleagues, professional networks and also think about your own health, your friends and your families.
Alternatively the very informative Get Up & Go falls prevention booklet contains lots of useful ideas and six exercises. It can be downloaded here, then maybe printed and sent in the post. A film of the exercises is here. Just the exercise sheet is here
Disability Pride Brighton
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is having a huge impact on everyone. Disability Pride has set up a Facebook group for disabled people and nondisabled people to come together and chat and provide support to each other and friendship. Several connections have already been made.
Team Domenica
Team Domenica’s mission is to help young people (aged 19-25+) with learning disabilities discover their career potential, to create employment opportunities and to remove barriers to work in local communities.
View their website here
For more information please get in touch: info@teamdomenica.com | 01273 681111 Monday - Friday 8:45am–4:30pm
Euan’s Guide
0131 510 5106
Visit their website here
The team behind Euan’s Guide, the website where people leave reviews rating the disabled access at the places they visit, has now launched a new online forum
The charity focused on making it easier for disabled people to get out and about has now turned their attention to keeping everyone amused whilst they stay indoors.
Love George Street
Their Facebook page information includes updates on:
- Opening hours
- Stock Levels
- Parking
- Council updates
Martlets Hospice
01273 273400
These are exceptional and uncertain times for everyone, including Martlets. Right now their hard-working doctors, nurses and healthcare teams are supporting the NHS giving vital care to vulnerable people in our community day and night.
To help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus, Martlets has cancelled all fundraising events, closed its charity shops and changed the way they work on their inpatient unit to keep people safe. They only receive a third of their funding from the NHS to help care for our patients, their carers and loved ones. To help them keep caring, they have launched an urgent Coronavirus Crisis Appeal current crisis
At Martlets, they're trained to help support people through uncertainty. To provide some words of comfort to everyone in our wonderful community, their chaplain Nicholas Rhoddis has begun writing weekly blogs hoping to offer inspiration and reassurance in these challenges times. Here is a link to the first two https://www.martlets.org.uk/blog/how-to-find-solace-though-uncertainty/ and https://www.martlets.org.uk/blog/the-light-of-the-heart/
Possability People and Food Partnership
Possability People - 01273 89 40 40 Monday - Friday 10am - 4pm
Food Partnership - 01273 234810
Possability People and Food Partnership are aware that shopping is an issue for people who are unable to shop for themselves because of the coronavirus, they understand there are local shops and traders who can offer food deliveries. If you are a business that does deliveries or you know of a shop near you that can deliver, please send us the details to hello@possabilitypeople.org.uk.
If you could send the name of the shop and their contact details, preferably a telephone number and Possability People will make contact to find out about the service. They will then pass the information to Food Partnership to add to their list here.
Possability people have also put together a support pack here. With info on how their own services are operating (most are near normal, if virtual) as well as help on exercise, well-being, home school, culture and more.
Scope
Helpline and advice - Scope's helpline provides free, independent and impartial advice and support on issues that matter to disabled people and their families.
You can contact the helpline by:
- freephone: 0808 800 3333
- textphone: Use Type Talk by dialling 18001 from a textphone followed by 0808 800 3333
- email: helpline@scope.org.uk
- filling out our contact form
- use a British Sign Language Interpreter
The Silver Line
Visit their website here
The Silver Line operates the only confidential, free helpline for older people across the UK that’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year. Helpline number – 0800 4 70 80 90
They also offer telephone friendship where they match volunteers with older people based on their interests, facilitated group calls, and help to connect people with local services in their area
RadioReverb
They will continue to broadcast as normal. However, in order to protect the health of volunteers and the wider community, they have closed their studio in Brighton's Open Market.
Their presenters will be moving to home recording so they may sound a little different, and you may hear some repeats from time to time while they get everything in place. They are also planning to adapt the current schedule in the coming months to bring more content for those who are socially isolated or distancing.
Join them on 97.2 FM DAB and www.radioreverb.com
Follow and chat on Twitter and Instagram @radioreverb; find us on Facebook @radioreverb97.2FM
YMCA DownsLink Group
Visit their website for advice and support for young people
They have also provided these documents with helpful information on the services available for young people at this time: Isolation Campaign and Family Mediation.
Speak Out
Brighton & Hove Speak Out are continuing to offer the following support to people with learning disabilities during the Coronavirus emergency.
- Telephone helpline - Monday-Friday 9-5pm on 01273 421921
- Check in calls - from Speak Out staff or a volunteer for people who are isolated and need this support.
- Advocacy - over the phone or via video calls.
- Online support including:
- Advocacy groups via Zoom
- Virtual drop-in sessions - Tuesday and Wednesday 2-4pm
- Speak Out chat rooms - including an information hub where people with learning disabilities can get information about local support bit.ly/SpeakOutChat
Please see Speak Out's website for more information or email at info@bhspeakout.org.uk
