Somerset Cricket Foundation are working alongside the Sporting Memories Foundation to launch a new programme; Sporting Memories. This new community initiative aims to bring people of retirement age together to reminisce about previous memories, experiences or moments in their lives through the power of sport. Sports memorabilia, past sporting events, physical activities, quizzes and guest speakers are used to create discussions around sporting events and memories.
The initiative is open to MEN only aged 50 and over, and is primarily designed to support those living with early on set dementia, depression and loneliness – and their families – and those wishing to talk about sport with like-minded people.
Sessions will take place at Bridgwater Cricket Club, The Parks, Durleigh Road, Bridgwater, TA6 7HR.
For more information about upcoming sessions and to register your interest, please visit the Somerset Cricket Foundation website here, or get in touch with Steve Gass using the contact details below.
Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership’s (SASP) Healthy Happy Holidays initiative is set to return for the 2023 school winter break as part of the Government’s Holiday, Activity and Food programme. Teaming up with Somerset Council, SASP will deliver a program of activities designed to help tackle inequalities in holiday hunger, physical inactivity, and social isolation for children eligible for Free School Meals.
Young people aged 5-16 are eligible for 4 days of activities between Monday 18 December to Thursday 21 December, with bookings opening on Wednesday 29 November. To book activities, parents and carers will need to have their unique booking code provided by their child’s school or referrer. This provision is for children on benefits related free school meals.
For more information and to find out how to book, visit the SASP website here.
Open to adults from across Taunton and wider Somerset, the sessions work especially well for people who have experienced mental or emotional distress, who feel isolated, need time to reflect on life, and those trying to build skills to get moving in life again.
For more information about upcoming session blocks, get in touch with Jenny by calling 07541 080397 or emailing jenny@nerochewoodlanders.org
The NHS has launched their Volunteer Responders Check in and Chat service; phone calls that can provide a listening ear and a friendly chat for those who many have been recently discharged from hospital or are simply looking for some companionship.
If you, someone you know, or someone you care for would like support or have any questions about the Volunteer Responder programme please call 0808 196 3646 (8am to 8pm, 7 days a week).
The Nether Stowey Wednesday Club is a weekly lunch club for anyone aged 50+ from Nether Stowey or the surrounding villages.
The club runs from 10am – 2pm every term-time Wednesday at St. Mary’s Church Centre in Nether Stowey. Coffee and lunch is served at 12pm. Transport can be provided.
Come along, meet the members and enjoy a bit of chat and company, and take part in a quiz or a raffle!
For more information, contact Maggie or Tina using the details below.
Burnham Bereavement Café is a safe and welcoming space for anyone affected by loss or bereavement. The bereavement may be recent, or may have occurred some time ago, and still be painful. Bereavement café is for anyone, at any stage of their journey.
Bereavement café offers a safe space to come and appreciate the company of other people who have also experienced bereavement and loss in their lives.
It’s a space to relax; to chat, to drink tea and eat cake, and to tell and listen to each other’s stories, to speak of loved ones. An opportunity to come and share the company of others who have also experienced loss and bereavement in their lives, and understand something of the journey.
A space to discuss the things that are difficult about grief, and the things that have been most helpful in facing the changes, adjusting and moving towards the ‘new normal.’
The group meets on the 3rd Sunday of the month at 4pm at St. Andrew’s Church, Burnham-on-Sea. For more information, contact Rev’d Sharon Eldergill on the number below.
The Somerset Lesbian Network is a charity, run by committee volunteers, and was established by local women to create opportunities for adult (18 and over) lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning cisgender and transgender women in Somerset to network.
The group aims to help reduce social isolation and the negative impact on health and wellbeing, and to promote visibility and service equality within the county by working with service providers.
For more information, visit the website or get in touch using the details below.
The Victoria Park Community Centre hosts a Junior Youth Group where young people are given the opportunity to take part in activities, games, and arts and crafts, encouraging them to do something new and different.
The Youth Group is open to young people aged between 8 – 12 years and meets every Thursday during Term Time from 4.30pm – 6pm.
For more information, get in touch using the details below.
Somerset Nature Connections project aims to tackle some of the barriers that prevent people experiencing the health and wellbeing benefits of Somerset’s spectacular natural environment. Somerset Nature Connections helps people to access these natural spaces, with a focus on supporting mental wellbeing and physical activity.
Their free Nature and Wellbeing courses explore the 5 Pathways to Nature Connectedness – contact, beauty, emotion, compassion and meaning – and are for anyone who is feeling socially isolated and/or experiencing mild to moderate depression, low mood, anxiety or stress.
To find a course near you, visit their website.
Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP) is dedicated to increasing the health and happiness of residents in Somerset through physical activity and sport.
They aim to inspire and enable positive life choices through sport and physical activity by providing accessible opportunities locally for all ages and abilities, supporting clubs, communities, schools and the workforce to embrace physical activity, and bringing together organisations and partners to plan and create a better environment for change.
To find an activity or group near you, visit their website.
Why volunteer with the British Red Cross?
Volunteer with the British Red Cross to help vulnerable people and make a difference in your community.
There are volunteering roles to suit everyone, no matter how much time you have to give and whatever your experience.
You can volunteer in some of the services from age 15 and there are opportunities for young people to get involved with their work.
To find a volunteer role near you, visit the website below.
Have you or someone you know been diagnosed with dementia? Join the Dementia Support Forum to share experiences with other people affected by dementia.
The Dementia Support Forum is a helpful online community where anyone who is affected by dementia can receive valuable support. It’s free, open day or night, and can be accessed online.
On the Dementia Support Forum, you can:
To explore the community or register for free, visit the link below.
Joyful Voices is a friendly, welcoming group who enjoy singing together and making new friends. They sing a wide range of genres and the emphasis is always on fun!
The group meets on Tuesdays at the Cheddar Catholic Community Hall from 1.30pm – 3pm and welcomes new members. There is a £6 fee per session.
Pop along and enjoy some singing in the afternoon!
Warm Welcome spaces are opening their doors across Sedgemoor, providing a warm, comfortable place for people to go amid the Cost-of-Living Crisis.
They are based in community venues and each space has something different to offer; some may be able to provide free food, activities, support with your wellbeing, or even somewhere to charge your phone or use a computer.
Find your nearest Warm Welcome space, when it’s open and what facilities are available via the link below.
The Reader offer Shared Reading groups that are open to all and free to attend.
A group of people, one of them a trained Reader Leader, reads a great novel, short story or poem aloud, then stop to talk about what was read. There is no need for group members to read aloud or speak – it’s fine to just listen. The idea is to create a space where people feel at ease.
Reading the literature aloud in real-time, means that everyone is involved in a shared, live experience. Group members are encouraged by the Reader Leader to respond personally, sharing feelings, thoughts and memories provoked by the reading.
The Taunton Shared Reading group takes place weekly on Mondays from 2pm – 3.30pm at Taunton Library, Paul Street, Taunton, TA1 3XZ.
For more information, visit their website.
Stepladder has been set up for all men in Somerset. The project is delivered by Second Step and funded by Somerset County Council and aims to reduce the number of men who take their own life. They work with communities, groups and organisations across Somerset to find new ways men can connect, support each other and get help.
If you want to know more about their community development work across Somerset or you’d like to share your experiences and expertise, please get in touch.
The Mind in Somerset Sedgemoor Community Support Project offers support to residents old and new, living in Sedgemoor and West Somerset. We recognise that as communities grow and change there can be pressures and stresses such as isolation and loneliness, housing and employment which can affect mental health and wellbeing.
We offer a 1:1 “drop – in” support service in our Bridgwater office with local 1:1 support meetings around Sedgemoor and West Somerset. We provide a safe space to discuss these stresses. We support access to specialist mental health services, debt and employment advice, community activities and opportunities to improve mental health and wellbeing.
With partner organisations and other local support services we offer community awareness days around the region.
Our “drop-in” sessions are available at: Mind In Somerset, Bridgwater Town Hall, High St, Bridgwater, TA6 3AS.
Other times are by appointment and in other venues around Sedgemoor and West Somerset.
The Filo Project is an award winning not-for-profit social enterprise offering high quality small group day care for older people who are socially isolated and/or who may be experiencing symptoms associated with early to moderate dementia.
Transport is included in the service meaning we can support even the most geographically isolated. The intimate environment is key, no client is overwhelmed by a large group. We liken the day with the Filo Project to spending a ‘day with friends’.
Marie Curie Helper volunteers provide free support for people with a terminal illness and their carers in the form of companionship, emotional support, practical help with small everyday tasks or appointments, respite for carers for a few hours and information on further support in the area.
The Cheddar Valley Singers are a community singing group of friendly, welcoming ladies. Their main aim is singing for enjoyment, but they like to work on improving their singing skills along the way.
The group is led by Kate Lynch, a voice teacher for both children and adults, who believes in the health and mood-boosting benefits of singing.
The group meets weekly on Mondays at the Cheddar Catholic Community Hall from 7pm – 8.15pm. New members are welcome to come and try the group out – no audition necessary!
There is a £5 fee per session.
Somerset Sight is a long established charity supporting people with sight loss. Our visiting service provides fully trained and checked volunteers who visit sight impaired people on a regular basis to provide company and support.
The Volunteer Visiting Service has existed since the 1990’s, supporting people with day to day tasks, trips out and helping them to maintain an active lifestyle.
Volunteer Visitors are recruited and matched to an individual by Somerset Sight. The Co-ordinator for the service visits a person firstly to discuss the support with them. Once set up visits are on a regular basis, usually fortnightly. All our volunteers are fully trained and police checked.
Those who receive the service say what a difference it makes to their lives.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Somerset Sight with a contact number for the Volunteer Co-ordinator.
The Miscarriage Association is a free service that provides support and information to anyone effected by miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or molar pregnancy.
They offer a helpline, a livechat, telephone and email support services, and have a UK-wide network of support volunteers who have experienced pregnany loss themselves that run support groups online or in-person.
For more information, visit their website or call the helpline listed below.
The helpline is staffed Monday – Friday from 9am to 4pm.
As we get older, we may find we spend more time on our own. This can sometimes feel lonely, boring or make us miss friends or family.
If you or someone you know is missing the joy of regular conversation, Age UK and their partner charity The Silver Line can help, offering free telephone friendship services so you can enjoy chatting with someone over the phone, all from the comfort of your own home.
Whether you’d like to speak to someone every week, or just want to talk when the need strikes, Age UK are there to help.
To sign up for the Telephone Friendship service, you should be over 60, have your own landline or mobile phone, be able to hear and be understood over the phone and be able to commit to a regular call at the same time each week.
For more information and to register, head to their website.
Somerset Libraries provides a Home Library Service, available to anyone who is unable to visit their local library. This includes people who may be housebound, living in long term care, carers, or people who are vulnerable due to long term conditions or disabilities. The service is open to people of all ages.
Whatever happens as we get older, we all want to remain independent and live life on our own terms. That’s why, as well as offering regular friendly contact and a strong campaigning voice, Independent Age can provide you and your family with clear, free and impartial advice on the issues that matter: care and support, money and benefits, health and mobility.
A befriending organisation for widows. Groups that meet up, go on trips and give advice. To find your nearest group email or see their website.
During Covid-19, our groups are not meeting physically but we are via social media. See our website.
The mobile library provides a library service to some rural areas in Somerset where there is no static library.
It carries a selection of books, novels, large print books, books for children and audio books.
You can also borrow DVDs on request. We regularly refresh the stock with material from other libraries.
To use the mobile library service, you must be a member of Somerset Libraries. You can join by filling in a membership form and bringing some proof of your name and current address, such as a recent utility bill or a driving licence. We will issue you a membership card, which you can use in any Somerset library. If you already have a Somerset library membership card, please show this to the staff.
You can borrow up to 20 items. Books borrowed from the mobile library are issued for 8 weeks. DVDs and audio books are issued for 4 weeks for a standard loan charge.
You can renew items online, by phone, or on your next visit to the mobile library.
To find out where and when the mobile library will be stopping near you in Sedgemoor, go to their website.
The Silver Line offers friendship, conversation, and support to those who need it. Whatever the day or time, you can pick up the phone and speak to a friendly Silver Line team members.
Whether you’d like to exchange a quick “good morning” with someone, fancy a chat about how your day has gone, or need a trusted listening ear to share your thoughts and feelings with, they’re there to talk, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Silver Line team is also there for you if you have any worries or questions. Depending on what kind of support you need, they can direct you to certain services, groups or resources that may help.
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.
Their trained volunteers can provide practical, emotional and financial support if and when you need it and their network of local branches means that help and advice is close at hand.
When you contact SSAFA for suppor, you will be put in touch with an experienced adviser. It is often the little things which make the most difference but we they also experienced at dealing with complex problems.
To get in touch with a local branch, use the details below or email southwest.region@ssafa.org.uk. Phone lines are open Monday – Friday, 9am – 5.30pm.
For the last 150 years, the British Red Cross have been putting kindness into action. When crisis strikes, they provide practical, local and emotional support for millions across the UK and the world.
They offer a crisis support line, which is free to call and open Monday – Friday, 10am – 5pm (with Wednesday’s hours extended to 10am – 8pm). They can also offer help with loneliness, support after a hospital stay and cost of living advice.
For more information, visit their website.
The service may be especially helpful if you cannot get to one of the Macular Society’s support group meetings, but would like to talk to someone who has experience of macular disease.
For more information and to make a referral, visit the website.
The Farming Community Network (FCN) are a voluntary organisation and charity that supports farmers and their families within the farming community.
Whether the issue is personal or business-related, FCN is there for you. They run a confidential, national helpline and e-helpline which is open every day of the year from 7am to 11pm and their volunteers provide free, confidential support to anyone who seeks help with a variety of issues.
