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Support Information in the current crisis

Help and Support – where to go to find help, assistance or to volunteer in this difficult time of change and challenge

This page lists just some of the organisations that can provide support, help or assistance during this difficult time.

If you are in a position to help the community then there are various groups that would appreciate your support – click here for more details.

As a worshiping community of God’s people we also offer prayer for anyone in need on this page or send a text to 07856 851045. The Moderators of the General Assembly of the URC have offered a prayer for all, which along with some suggestions for personal prayer topics can be found here. For our members please remember that your pastoral visitor is there for you if you require any help or support

Sadly there are still unscrupulous people who are using the situation to take advantage of other people. There is some advice on Covid-19 Scams here

We will update this page when we have additional information

Support and Assistance

The London Borough of Bromley Website provides links to all their various services and they have a specific Covid-19 page here. They also have a request for assistance service for help with shopping, collecting medication and friendly phone calls on this page or 0208313 4184 (for those without internet access only)

A number of council services are being restricted, details can be found here. Note though that Social Services are still working and details of their various services are here

Bromley and Greenwich Age UK have put together some very helpful information here and there is an advice line 0208 315 1850. They may also be able to arrange ‘one-off’ emergency shops for older people who are self isolating

The Silver Line helpline is a free, 24 hour, confidential helpline for older people – 0800 4 70 80 90

Shopping Many local business are operating food delivery services and it may well be easier to book a slot through them compared to the big national chains.

Bromley Well has a list of companies delivering food in the borough here

Orpington 1st has information on which business in Orpington are still open, including resturants that are offering a takeway or delivery service

Bromley Borough Foodbank are providing emergency food by home delivery. If you are financial crisis and need food see this foodbank notice

Support for parents & carers. The NSPCC and UNICEF both have advice and support pages for parents and carers including topics such as ‘Talking to worried children’, ‘Working from home’, ‘online safety’.

Bromley Well have a suport page for carers, including young carers

Mental health and wellbeing is so important at this time and Mind the mental health charity have a wealth of information and helpline telephone numbers on their website. This page has some good tips about how to manage our mental wellbeing

Bromley and Orpington Samaritans are still operating a phone service for those in need – 116 123 free from any phone

British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy also have some good tips on managing mental wellbeing whilst working from home, managing anxiety and self isolation

There are a number of organisations that have websites and telephone helplines providing support for those dealing with Domestic violence, some examples are

A large number of volunteer organisations have sprung up as Covid-19 Mutal Aid support groups. Those in our local area are mainly operating through facebook pages. These groups are all independent but the website Covidmutalaid.org provides a a search facility to find local groups.

These groups can help with shopping, collecting medication and friendly phone calls

Volunteering

The London of Bromley are coordinating a a number of voluteering activities. There is a general page on volunteering here and their how to volunteer page is here

Careplus Bromley are looking for volunteers to help with shopping and/or befriending local 70, 80 and 90 year-olds by phone.  They are getting more and more requests for help from across the Borough, as volunteers who came forward specifically to help with Covid 19 return to work. Ideally they pair up a volunteer and an older client for a regular weekly/fortnightly shop or a regular short phone chat.  Shopping involves very minimal contact with the client (2m distancing is followed) and in telephone chats there is no actual physical contact of course.  They have about 75 older people on their books currently and 30 volunteers (many others are laid off, as they themselves are over 70).   They are only just coping!

The NHS has a web page for those who are interested in volunteering and this page is specific to Covid-19 and provides links to a number of volunteering opportunities. It also discusses how to help safely

To offer help through the local Covid-19 Mutal aid groups please see their facebook links or phone numbers above

Many of our charities are struggling to keep going, due to funding being cut off during this crisis. If you are in a position to do so, you may wish to consider giving extra financial support to your favourite charities during this crisis. In particular, the COVID 19 groups are needing donations towards assisting people who need shopping but are unable to pay. Please contact the numbers listed above if you would like to make a donation.

Donations of food from churches have dried up due to them being closed so Bromley Borough FoodBank are asking for cash donations here so they can buy the food themselves

Covid-19 Scams

Sadly there are still unscrupulous people who are using the situation to take advantage of other people. The government has a page about being vigilent against coronavirus scams and there is useful information, for everyone, on this Age UK page or Friends against Scams . General advice includes

  • If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is too good to be true
  • Never give out personal details such as Pin numbers or other bank details, finacial information, adresses and other personal information
  • Do not click on links or open emails from people you do not know
  • Be very wary of unknown callers at your front door
  • Phone calls offering to fix your computer, warning you your broadband is going to be cut off, that your Amazon account is being cancelled, that the Taxman is going to fine you and similar claims are all scams. Just put the phone down

If you live in the London Borough of Bromley you can contact Trading Standards via email trading.standards@bromley.gov.uk or if you need help urgently for example to report someone going door to door contact the Rapid Response on 07903 852090