Action Fraud CAB – 0300 123 2040. You can also report fraud online: www.actionfraud.police.uk
Age Connects Morgannwg - You can still contact us by telephoning 01443 490650 and by choosing one of the following options:
Option 1 – Nail-cutting Service
Option 2 – Community Services and Support
Option 3 – Information and Advice
Option 4 – Volunteering
Option 5 - Other Enquiries
You can also email us at information@acmorgannwg.org.uk
We are likely to receive a high and increasing volume of calls/emails over the next few weeks so please bear with us, we will do our best to call you back within 24 hours of your call.
If you have an appointment already booked with us over the next few weeks, we will contact you to make other arrangements to help you. We will not be accepting any new appointments for our Nail-cutting Service until we have been advised it is safe to do so.
Alzheimer’s Society Cwm Taf: Telephone support for the elderly and vulnerable including companion calls to check on individuals. Dementia connect service offering personal support for people with dementia, their carers, family and friends. Contact Kirsty Morgan, 0333 150 34356 dementia.connect@alzheimers.org.uk
A.S.D. Rainbows can offer remote support to families struggling to cope with their autistic /anxious children. They offer phone support to families and if needed Skype appointments, e-mail Asd.rainbows@mail.com or ring Adele – 07812102178 Jo - 07872026446
Barod – is offering free and confidential advice and support for young people, or anyone worried about a young person regarding drug and alcohol use. Young people can contact the organisation directly: DASPA helpline – 03003330000 or make a referral online at: https://referrals.daspa.org.uk/tpn/
British Red Cross: telephone befriending available across Cwm Taf for the over 50’s. Contact Jo on 07710 066858 for more information.
Carers Wales: Advice and information for carers. Telephone support available Mon and Tuesday, 10am – 4pm, contact Amber Powell 0808 808 7777, advice@carersuk.org
Carers Wales are holding a series of online Care for a Cuppa talks and information sessions each Tuesday between 14.30 and 16.30 (some vary). Each session will be held in English and will feature a different speaker every week between 15.00 and 16.00. There is also an opportunity for you to chat with other carers before and after each talk. You will be able to attend these using Zoom. You do not need your own account to register, just the link and meeting ID that we send you.
If you have any concerns about the sessions or require assistance registering for a Care for a Cuppa event, please email info@carerswales.org
Challenging Behaviour Support CIC - support for parents and carers of children with challenging behaviour (with or without diagnosis). Due to current guidelines, their support group is currently not running, however they have just launched their new ‘Check in and Chat’ service for parents/carers. To register your details and for a member of the team to call you once a week, please email or text your name, contact number and area you live to: Info.cbs2014@gmail.com or 07562223697. Also connect with them on Facebook
Chatterlines – set up by Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, Chatterlines is a befriending service available for individuals who are lonely or isolated at this time. Telephone: 01656 753783
Change Step: Telephone advice for older veterans. Contact Roger Lees, 07442 493939 or roger.lees@cais.org.uk
CISWO (the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation) - Personal Welfare Service continuing and accepting referrals from individuals themselves, family members and other agencies. The majority of services can be delivered remotely and include: assistance with benefit applications and compensation schemes, advice on mining related issues including illness and disability, help to access mobility equipment including walking aids and wheelchairs, support to reduce loneliness and social isolation, advocacy, emotional support and financial assistance through CISWO grants. Support is available to former mineworkers, partners, widows and any dependent children or adult dependents with a disability. Services also currently extended to those in client group most in need, particularly those who are self-isolating and have limited local support and can provide access to essential shopping and prescription collection in some areas. Please contact 01443 485 233 or Wales@ciswo.org.uk
Cymru Versus Arthritis – We are currently offering online and telephone support for people with arthritis, visit www.versusarthritis.org for support from our coronavirus virtual assistant (COVA). For coronavirus and other general telephone enquiries, please contact our helpline 0800 5200 520. The Wales team are also offering virtual group meets online, for more information on virtual groups contact May Baxter-Thornton on 07711369456 or via email
m.baxter-thornton@versusarthritis.org
Diabetes UK: Access this care line for information and support for anyone who has been affected by diabetes, contact 02920 668276
Home-Start Cymru – organisation providing support to families with young children through challenging times. Have successfully moved to remote support for existing families and still accepting new referrals into existing projects. Due to receiving new funding, they are able to expand their services to reach more families and have established a doorstep delivery service providing vital food and supplies to families that are stuck at home with limited opportunity to access the basic items they need. If you would like to know more about the project as it develops please contact them on the below email address. Also continuing to recruit new volunteers. All will undertake Home-Start training before beginning to support families. Please circulate amongst your networks, and anyone interested in volunteering for Home-Start Cymru can contact us at: info@homestartcymru.org.uk
Cwm Taf Morgannwg Mind - From Monday 20th April they will be delivering group wellbeing support sessions online via Zoom. There will be set times every day where people can log in and join the group sessions. The sessions will be based around the 5 Ways to Wellbeing, and each day will have a different theme, starting with 'Connect' on Monday. The sessions have been split into a Men's Hour (1.30-2.30pm), Women's Hour (10.30-11.30am) and NHS / Keyworkers Hour (11.30am-12.30pm. You will need Zoom to take part. You can download the Zoom app to your PC/Laptop/Phone/iPad here: https://zoom.us/download. Each morning they will post the log in links and passwords for the relevant session that day on the Facebook page
For more information, please contact info@ctmmind.org.uk or 01685 707480.
Mind are also offering: Online counselling, contact Wendy - 07399 347 745. Primary care services, contact Rhiannon - 07399 347 744.
Hafal Cwm Taf - currently providing telephone support and advice for existing clients and for those on their waiting list. They are accepting new referrals for those in need of mental health support. For people experiencing financial difficulties, a phone appointment can be organised with the excellent Hafal Mental Health and Money Advice Service.
They also have free online support forum called Clic.
Hafal’s Facebook page has daily vlogs relating to wellbeing and exercise.
Anyone needing support can ring 01792 816600 and ask to be redirected to a member of the Cwm Taf team.
Mental Health Facebook Page - This page promotes Mental Health services, events and activities locally in Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil. Please note this page is not a support group or crisis helpline service, it advertises these types of services.
Mental Health Matters: Telephone befriending for adults 18+. Contact Michaela Moore, 01656 651450 or befriending@mhmwales.org.uk
Calm - Website and app for Sleep, Meditation and Relaxation https://www.calm.com/
Headspace - App for Sleep, Meditation and Relaxation https://www.headspace.com/headspace-meditation-app
Elefriends - is a supportive online community chat room for mental health where you can chat about lived experiences and be yourself. We all know what it is like to struggle sometimes, this is a safe place to listen, share and be heard. https://www.elefriends.org.uk/ Nice - Information and guidelines on treatments for conditions, including anxiety.
No Panic - Information, support and advice for those with panic disorder.
Hapi – Daily Facebook live wellbeing videos including cooking skills, family keep fit, Pilates and singalongs https://www/facebook.com/hapiRCT
New Horizons Coronavirus Mental Health & Wellbeing Signposting Helpline – Call 01685 881113 or email info@newhorizons-mentalhealth.co.uk Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm. Leave your name and details and you will receive a call back from a withheld number. Depending on demand you may not hear back the same day.
National Gambling Helpline: this is operating 24/7 as usual, providing information, advice and support for anyone affected by problem gambling. We are running additional chat rooms online and are encouraging use of chat and forums to reduce isolation. Advisers are available 24 hours a day on Freephone 0808 8020 133 or via live web chat. See website for more information: www.gamcare.org.uk/get-support/talk-to-us-now/
Platfform Out of Work Peer Mentoring Service - during this time the Out of Work service team are still here and available to accept referrals. Progression towards employment is significantly impacted at the moment but they are still here to provide welfare support for individuals. The service provides one-to-one support for those who have experienced mental health challenges or who are in recovery from substance or alcohol misuse. Criteria for over 25s: unemployed for over 12 months/receiving ESA or UC. Criteria for 16-24s: not in education, employment or training. Please keep them in mind if you are working with anyone that could benefit from additional support in these uncertain times. Please contact oows@platfform.org with referrals or queries.
Royal Voluntary Service Good Neighbours Scheme - initially will be providing a Telephone Befriending service through volunteers, but as life improves some may be able to offer shop and drop and/or prescription collection and one to one contact in the future. We are trying to pair up people as to their locations, as they will have more shared local knowledge and experiences. We have made every attempt to contact previous clients and bring them back on board, but should you know of anyone who could benefit from having regular calls please let us know. Our scheme is open to anyone 50+ and who would benefit from some support. Any queries or to refer someone, please contact Debra Ambury on 07557257168 or email debra.ambury@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
Samaritans Cymru: telephone and email support for those struggling. Free phone 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org
Spectacle Theatre - Online chair dancing, creative writing, poetry and short story service. Contact: 01443 681024 www.spectacletheatre.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/theatrspectacletheatre/
Stroke Association - Community Steps Project are now trying to set up virtual groups where possible to support stroke survivors. For anyone that would be interested in finding out more, they can email CommunityStepsWales@stroke.org.uk
Tenovus Cancer Care - Free nurse-led Support Line will remain open to answer questions from cancer patients and indeed anyone affected by cancer. Our experienced nurses can offer advice on diagnosis, treatment, side-effects, and anything else that’s on people’s minds. Just call 0808 808 1010.
Valleys Steps – Online resources for Mindfulness and Stress Control http://www.valleyssteps.org/ offering online courses (stress management, mindfulness, anxiety and panic, embracing kindness and a sleep workshop). Please click on the link to the booking page http://www.valleyssteps.org/online-sessions/?fbclid=IwAR10nV1uQEJZRtOBZD2RIA-97OeQ5SforiS3bCNAaqZzKvzGOf_lsktwyfs
Welcome Friends befriending service is offering telephone befriending to the over 50’s age group who find themselves needing contact. Volunteers are needed to keep this service active, as well as support older people with essential tasks. Please contact Diane Matheson on 07788 310445 to find out more, or alternatively register to volunteer online