As the country returns to a national lockdown, many people may be concerned for their financial, physical or mental wellbeing. Fortunately, a wide range of support is now available for everyone in Bath and North East Somerset.

If you or someone you know needs help with food, transport or medication, or if you are concerned about your mental or physical wellbeing, you can now access support from the Compassionate Community hub at: www.compassioncb.org.uk

The Compassionate Community hub is an advice and support resource for people living in B&NES. A group of third sector organisations, represented by Virgin Care and Banes 3SG, have joined forces with B&NES Council and the CCG to provide support through a range of services.

The Compassionate Community hub aims to support those who are shielding or self-isolating, as well as those who are clinically the highest risk people in our community. Its mission is to encourage and enable individuals, organisations and networks to work together with the shared aim of supporting people in need and building strong local communications. By combining resources, this group of organisations, supported by over 2,500 trained volunteers, are able to collaborate to offer sustainable and suitable responses to community needs.

The Compassionate Community Hub can offer support in the following areas:

• Delivery of urgent supplies

• Friendly phone calls

• Collection of medication

• Money matters and work

• Mental wellbeing (including loneliness, low mood and anxiety)

• Advice on keeping fit

• Housing Issues

• Housing Advice

• Food and cooking

• Understanding public health advice

If you or someone you know needs to access this support, the Compassionate Community Hub can be contacted at: 0300 247 0050 or by email at: [email protected]. A short triage process is used to help ensure you can access the most appropriate service quickly. A large range of resources are also available online, and a physical wellbeing pack can be ordered on behalf of anyone who does not have access to the internet.

If you are healthy and low risk, and you want to help support others around you, the Compassionate Community hub also has the option for volunteers to register via their website. Volunteers have the option to offer to assist with shopping or medication collection, as well as becoming a phone call volunteer to help ease the loneliness of lockdown. Volunteers are provided with an online handbook to review, and for details of the specific tasks and areas they would like to assist with. Further details can be found at: www.compassioncb.org.uk

If you need to contact the Council about its other

services, you can ring: 01225 394041 or email: council_

If you require assistance with welfare benefits and have been impacted by a requirement to self isolate, you can contact the welfare support team on: 01225 477277.