All information below is correct at time of publishing for residents of the 6 local authorities in Berkshire. We hope you find this helpful. Please click on headings for further information.

Community Support Hub Here to Help – West Berkshire
We are here to help families or individuals who are struggling and need assistance with food or other forms of support. Anyone who needs help should contact the Community Support Hub on 01635 503579 or by email at westberksbct@westberks.gov.uk. Or you can ask for help using our online request form. The Community Support Hub is open during office hours; call between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Thursday, or between 8.30am and 4.30pm on Friday. We work with you directly to find a solution that best suits your particular needs.

One Slough Our community response

Slough – For Support Call 01753 944198
Our lines are open Monday to Friday from 9.00 – 16.00. Closed weekends and Bank Holidays.
Our goal is to build community resilience in Slough to help residents in times of crisis including providing support in response to the coronavirus crisis. This is a challenging time for everyone. We want to help local people to support one another and provide essential services to people who need it.

Slough Borough Council and Slough CVS are working with key local community groups and organisations so that we have a coordinated effort across our borough to organise volunteers and those who need help. It is important that all our efforts to help those in need are organised through a collaborative approach that we can act in line with a spread prevention approach.

This is your first stop to find out how you can get involved or access help.

Coronavirus: One Reading Community Hub Support
If you need a helping hand to get through the Covid crisis, the One Reading Community Hub is here.

If you have received a letter advising you that you are “Clinically Extremely Vulnerable” (CEV) then please follow the instructions in that letter. If you need some extra help, the letter will tell you how to register with the National Shielding Service System (NSSS). Your details will be passed to us, and we will be in touch. If you are having difficulty registering with NSSS, we can help you do that.

If you have not received a CEV letter but you are struggling to cope, you can contact the Hub for help with urgent food and prescription needs, getting a priority supermarket delivery slot, or other issues such as debt, loneliness, stress and anxiety.

You can contact the Hub:

Fill in our online Hub form
By calling 0808 189 4325
Via Reading Deaf Centre on SMS 07704 687298 or fax 0118 950 0507
The Hub is a partnership between Reading Borough Council, Reading Voluntary Action and voluntary and community partners in the town.

COVID19 : Community response – Windsor & Maidenhead
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is working with local charities and other partners to provide a community response for those who don’t have support and need advice or practical help. This is not an alternative to the NHS or social services.

For COVID-19 health advice visit: www.111.nhs.uk

In an event someone is unwell you need to follow government guidelines, stay indoors and call 111.
If you suspect you have COVID-19 and need to be tested call 119.
If you suspect or have been informed there is an outbreak you need to call 01628 683820.
If you would like to volunteer, please email : volunteer@RBWM.gov.uk.

If you are vulnerable/shielded or need support call 0203 5148117 during opening hours. Monday – Friday 9am to 4pm.
Contact numbers

Citizen Advice Maidenhead – 01628 674842
Universal Credit helpline – 0800 328 5644
Concerned about the safety of an adult – 01628 683744 (out of hours 01344 786543)
Concerned about the safety of a child – 01628 683100 (out of hours 01344 786543)
Samaritans – 116 123
Domestic Abuse Stops Here (DASH) Charity 01753 549865 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm)

Wokingham Borough – One Front Door – coronavirus community response

Do you need help and support? We are here to support you to get the help you require.

Citizens Advice Wokingham want to ensure that no-one feels left behind – already we have provided support to local residents and worked with other charities to help people with food, prescription collection, linking up with some friendship support and advice on issues such as redundancy, debt, statutory sick pay or other benefits.

Citizens Advice Wokingham are operating One Front Door to link you with the right level of support – working with Wokingham Borough Council and organisations such as local foodbanks, Wokingham Volunteer Centre, First Days, Involve, Link Visiting Scheme, Age UK Berkshire and many more – including mental health and wellbeing support. They have a long list of charities and community groups operating across the area. They have setup this page on our website so that you can explain your issue via a form if that suits you best. They may need to give you a call back just to check some things out – the form is available 24/7. If you are referring someone else you MUST Have their explicit permission.

Wokingham Borough Council is working with local charities to provide a community response for those who don’t have support and need advice or practical help. This is not an alternative to the NHS or social services.

Bracknell – COVID-19 Community Response
Do you need help and support?

Our priority has always been people first; this is no different during this crisis.

If you are a resident in Bracknell Forest who:

Was being shielded or living with someone who was shielding
Self-isolating due to COVID-19 symptoms
Social distancing but have other health conditions, disabilities or caring responsibilities that make it difficult for you to leave your home and have no support available from friends or family, then The Ark can help!

You do not need to register, when you need the community response network please call 01344 266911 or email community@theark.org.uk

Open between 8am and 8pm, 7 days a week. The community response is a partnership between The Ark Trust and Bracknell Forest Council.

by Phillip Vincent, Action with Communities in Rural England
New restrictions mean that halls will close, except for a limited number of permitted activities.

Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) has issued information for village halls to help them understand the implications of the new nationwide lockdown restrictions which come into force today. All halls are required to close their doors, but a few uses will still be allowed.

The news is a body blow for the voluntary committees who rose to the challenge of putting in place complicated Covid-19 Secure measures over the summer months with support from ACRE Network members to allow their buildings to safely reopen. Many are worried about the loss of income from hiring out their space to local community groups and businesses.

Many of the voluntary committees who manage these buildings will undoubtedly be worried about the future – both in terms of their financial sustainability, but also the welfare of their community.

There are over 10,000 village halls to be found across England. They support a diverse range of community activities from exercise classes to coffee mornings and are routinely hired out for private parties and weddings. Some host community shops and post offices.

In a recent survey undertaken by ACRE, it was found that 60% of village halls provide the only meeting space in the local community. An estimated 50,000 individuals too are reliant on the use of village halls to make a living.

Whilst halls are required by law to close, a few activities are still permitted including use for education, childcare and work purposes, providing food and essential retail activities and to host organised support groups offering mutual aid or therapy.

Deborah Clarke, ACRE’s Rural Evidence Village Halls Manager said, “We are working tirelessly to provide support and information to help village halls cope with this second national lockdown which has forced them to shut their doors once again. Many of the voluntary committees who manage these buildings will undoubtedly be worried about the future – both in terms of their financial sustainability, but also the welfare of their community. With uncertainty about the duration of the new restrictions, we will be making the case for continued emergency funding to make sure these important community assets weather the storm”.

The charity is encouraging village halls to contact their local ACRE Network member to obtain copies of the information sheet and get further support. Halls are strongly advised to contact their local authority to apply for Local Restriction Support Grants as these will enable them to keep their buildings heated during the winter months and prevent damage to the building.

Please take two seconds to answer this extremely short questionnaire which will really help programme our work as a charity going forward in 2020 and beyond. It’s so crucial we know what’s important to you and your Berkshire community. Thank you in advance (it literally takes two seconds so please click): https://ccberks.wufoo.com/forms/whats-important-to-your-community/

Zoom Bid Writing Course
Thursday 19th November 2020, 10.30am – 12.00pm

Sara Hanson, Volunteer Sector Support Officer is an experienced bid writer and evaluator, and has designed this course to challenge you and give you the tools you need to be able to move forward in your bid writing.

This course is designed for people with no to limited experience with Bid Writing and will go over completing forms online, providing you with hints and tips on preparing and completing them and the language to use. Sources of funding opportunities, the criteria to meet, the jargon used and the reasons applications fail will also be covered. 

Cost: £10
Please fill in the details on the booking page and we will get back to you with details on payment. 

Exciting new webinar on Energy Advice & Awareness Training from CCB just announced.

On Tuesday 24^th November from 10am – 12pm. The training will be run by CCB’s Energy Expert Helen Dean and full details including how to book can be found below, join from the comfort of your own home of office.

About this Event

This course aims to provide training, advice and useful information to practitioners and volunteers that work with low income and vulnerable individuals, including families, those with long term health conditions and the elderly.

The sessions will ensure learners know and understand;

* The definition of fuel poverty, and how to advise and support the clients you work with

* How to compare costs and switch supplier to get the best deal;

* The discounts available to those on low incomes

* Funding for insulation and boiler improvements for low income households from 3 sources

* How to reduce costs by reducing energy usage

* Information on the Priority Services Register

* How best to deal with debt and support available

* Useful sources of further information

Places booked on a first come, first served basis. To book your place please click here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/energy-advice-awareness-webinar-tickets-125020753439 This training is supported by West Berkshire Council Adult Community Learning