Wellbeing in Partnership E-Bulletin – Bromsgrove and Redditch – December 2022

Reminder – Household Support Fund Phase 3 – local support available

Quick reminder that eligible Redditch and Bromsgrove residents who are struggling with the cost of household essentials can get help with food and household costs and there are 2 ways they can apply:

**NOW OPEN for New Applications** Act on Energy –  help with energy costs, energy debt, broken heating systems etc

This scheme offers qualifying residents across Worcestershire support with their energy costs, fuel debt and where required, assistance to replace broken boilers and heating systems, subject to funding.  Eligibility criteria for support is not restricted to solely vulnerable households in receipt of benefits, but criteria will be applied for the different elements of support on offer.  Further information can be found online at:  WORCESTERSHIRE HOUSEHOLD SUPPORT FUND (actonenergy.org.uk). Residents can apply online or by calling 0800 988 2881.

**NOW OPEN for New Applications** Citizens Advice Bromsgrove and Redditch – help with food and other essentials

If you are working with residents that are struggling and need support with food and wider essentials, they can apply to the Household Support Fund Information | Citizens Advice Bromsgrove and Redditch (cabr.org.uk).  Citizens Advice Bromsgrove and Redditch are working closely with Bromsgrove District and Redditch Brough Councils to provide this support.   Bromsgrove residents can apply here: Bromsgrove Household Support Fund and Redditch residents can apply here: Redditch Household Support Fund 

And don’t forget…FREE printed copies of the attached cost of living leaflet are available for agencies to collect and help distribute.  Pick them up at Customer Services at Parkside or the Town Hall.

Services / Support – Information Updates

A reminder… warm space and food provision will be covered in the cost of living bulletin next week however, here are a couple of late entries not previously shared for Redditch we want to let you know now….

Christmas Eve Meal

A meal is being cooked at St Andrews Church, Church Hill on Christmas eve and being served between 12noon and 1pm. Volunteers are organising this event and can deliver the meals around the Redditch area. Anyone in need of a meal who would like to take up this offer should call 07891549333 by no later than 22^nd December 22.

Warm Space and Free Meal 24^th-30^th Dec

From Christmas Eve until 30 December 11am-3pm, the Ecumenical Centre will be open for people to go and keep warm and have a free hot meal and drinks – this includes Christmas Day!  Please signpost any of your service users should they need this service.

And other updates….

Christmas Activities at the Libraries

Please find attached a leaflet detailing all the activities on offer at the libraries over the festive period.

Worcestershire Safe Haven – based in Redditch

Safe Haven provides telephone support and face to face appointments to Worcestershire residents who are experiencing mental health crisis.  Offering a listening ear during the evening into the early hours, providing support and signposting information, the service helps individuals manage the difficult times.  The service runs 7 days a week 6pm to 1am and is based in the Redditch Town Centre.  Further details can be found at: Worcestershire Safe Haven.

Mental Health and Suicide Awareness Resources

Please find attached a document that contains the following:

• essential information on where professionals can direct people to support
• links to free training and support tools around mental health and suicide

• Information around staff self-care resources
• Links for organisational leads to guidance/resources available to promote good mental wellbeing in the workplace and strengthen suicide prevention

Streetlink – How to report and help a rough sleeper

If you see a rough sleeper, please kindly notify Streetlink on 0300 500 0914 or via www.streetlink.org.uk.  This will alert the relevant outreach teams within Worcestershire to attend the location and offer appropriate support to the person. Streetlink feed into the intelligence network which enables outreach workers to locate rough sleepers and encourage them to access the SWEP night shelters. Outreach workers can support rough sleepers to engage with Worcestershire’s partnership homelessness organisations who can offer support with complex needs.

Stay Well This Winter

The Stay Well This Winter leaflet for 2022/23 is now available to download from the Public Health England Campaign Resource Centre (CRC). Stay Well This Winter | Campaign Resource Centre (phe.gov.uk)

This helpful resource is updated annually and provides health information and guidance on how to stay well over the winter months and includes advice on getting the flu and COVID-19 booster vaccinations; keeping warm; fire safety at home; accessing NHS mental health support; adequately stocking your medicine cabinet; handwashing; looking out for each other; and ways to access NHS services.

NHS England’s ‘Help Us Help You’ campaign

The NHS England’s ‘Help Us Help You’ campaign has now officially launched and will run until 31 March 2023. The aim of this campaign is to encourage the public to use the 111 online service when they think they need medical help fast. The campaign will promote the service’s ease of use and how it can help people get assessed and directed to the right place for them, as quickly as possible.  The target audience for the campaign is all adults 16+ in England. Campaign assets are currently available to download from the Campaign Resource Centre.   For any queries about the NHS 111 online campaign, please contact the NHS England Campaigns Team: 

Public Health Engagement Report: The impact of COVID-19 on the lives of Worcestershire residents

 Public Health want to say a big thank you to all the participants and organisations who contributed to their COVID-19 impact engagement and community research. Over 2500 people from a variety of communities across Worcestershire engaged and the report can be seen here: Health and Wellbeing – Google Drive. For more information, please contact the Public Health Engagement Team: 

Chlamydia Women Campaign

Public Health England (PHE) are running a campaign and asking for your help to support and promote DIY chlamydia testing specifically for young women. Worcestershire Integrated Sexual Health service (WISH) provide posters, encouraging women under 25 to get themselves tested. Testing is free of charge, easy and can be completed at home.  Attached is a poster that can be displayed in appropriate areas, such as changing rooms, toilets, and information areas.

If you have female focused sessions or events and you feel there would be an opportunity to bring testing kits and information to your venue or if you wish to discuss anything further, please contact Kate Wilson – Health Promotion Specialist   Men are still able to get tested.  For information about local sexual health services please visit:  www.knowyourstuff.nhs.uk

Mentor Link – Volunteers Required

The Children’s Charity Mentor Link are currently seeing an increase in demand for their service in both Bromsgrove and Redditch. They are looking to recruit and train additional volunteer mentors to support children and young people going through a tough time. Full details and contact information can be found in the attached flyer.

VCSE Alliance

What to know more about the VCSE Alliance in Worcestershire is all about?  You can sign up for updates here:  www.worcsalliance.org  or contact Kay Bruton, Communications and Engagement Officer for the VCSE Alliance working with Esther Passingham – 

Events, Roadshows and Open Days

Bromsgrove Youth and Community Hub’s young musicians evening invitation

The Hub are holding a music performance event, that’s been co-designed by young people and will take place on Monday 19^th December 2022,  5pm-7:30pm. Doors open at 4:30pm at Bromsgrove Baptist church, B602JD.

The Hub would also like to invite local partners to have a small stall for awareness, promotion, and networking at the event. For tickets or to book a stall, please contact Dan Owen on 07467152122 or email  Or if you know of any amazing young people that would like to perform solos, they’d be happy to hear from them!

Armed Forces Covenant event in Worcester, Wednesday 25th January 10:00-12:30

Seetec Pluss, in association with the West Midland Reserve Forces & Cadets Association, are holding an event to promote and celebrate the Armed Forces Covenant, a promise from the nation that those who serve in the armed forces will be treated fairly. The event is taking place at Dancox House in Worcester; they’ll be guest speakers with talks on the business benefits of employing veterans, reservists, and other members of the armed forces community.  You can register to attend at https://armedforcescovenant.eventbrite.co.uk, or alternatively email  if you have questions about the event.

District Collaborative Showcase Event – Worcestershire

Please find attached a flyer for the District Collaborative Showcase event.  The event will be co-chaired by County Councillor Karen May, Chair of the Worcestershire Health and Wellbeing Board and Dr Jonathan Wells, GP, Clinical Director for the Kingfisher Primary Care Network and Chair of the Redditch District Collaborative. It is scheduled to take place on Thursday 9^th February 2023 from 1.00pm to 4.00pm.  This will be a virtual event and will take place on Microsoft Teams.  If you would like to attend the event, please click on the link within the event flyer and complete the booking form.

Training/Courses/Workshops

Seetec Training Guide for Worcestershire

Please find attached a document from Seetec Pluss with the latest training options for all job seekers in Worcestershire. Feel free to share with your customers/participants. Contact details on the various providers are included, or you can contact Bobby at  for any specific information or if you have any information on new courses, please email Bobby at Seetec who will share across their network.

Healthy Start Webinar

Public Health and Starting Well are delivering a Healthy Start webinar, taking place on 11th January 2023, 9.30-10.30am – Details attached. The webinar is open to anyone working with families that may benefit from accessing Healthy Start vouchers, that would like to find out more. The session will give an overview of Healthy Start and how to support those most in need to access free vitamins and healthy food.  To book a place or for further details please email 

*Starting soon* – MoodMasters on-line course

Please see attached a poster for MoodMasters which we will be running in partnership with The Hereford and Worcestershire Wellbeing and Recovery College. This course is free to access for anyone who has a Worcestershire postcode. If you have service users or community contacts who you think would benefit from this free course, please signpost them – all contact details are within the poster.

*FREE* Domestic Abuse Training – January – March 2023

A reminder about the next phase of domestic abuse training dates in Worcestershire. This (recently updated) training is available between January – March 2023 and will take place via zoom.  The feedback received from delegates so far has been exceptionally positive and highlights not only an increase in knowledge but also an increased confidence when applying the learning to professional practice.

There are three modules of training, and the learning outcomes can be found on the attached flyer.

Module 1: Understanding and Responding to Domestic Abuse

Module 2: Working with Domestic Abuse within the context of Multi Agency Working – promoting critically reflective practice

Module 3: Understanding and Working with Perpetrators

To apply for a place please email: 

*New Dates* Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) Workshops

Want to know more about what ABCD actually is?  This is a great opportunity to attend a one-day, interactive workshop, presented by the ABCD team. This free, in person ABCD workshop is open to everyone working & living in Worcestershire. Professionals & community groups working to improve community health & wellbeing will find this workshop of interest.  With a focus on community building, ABCD looks at what is strong, building on the gifts (skills, experiences, knowledge & passion) within local communities and connects neighbourhood assets together to build citizen power. The workshop will help attendees: Understand & apply ABCD principles, become aware of the tools & support available in ABCD application; communicate the value of an ABCD approach with teams & partners. Use this link to book and for more information: Exploring Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite  Also find attached an ABCD promotional social media flyer to share within your networks.

Funding/Grants

Prince’s Trust Development Awards: small grants for young people aged 16 – 30

The Prince’s Trust Development Awards programme provides small grants for young people aged 16 – 30 to help them access education, training, and employment. They can offer £150, which you do not have to pay back and up to £500.

Applying for a Development Award will involve:

• Attending a 30–45-minute Assessment Meeting with a Prince’s Trust member of staff or volunteer
• Providing The Prince’s Trust with some paperwork to support the application, such as quotes and confirmation letters
• Taking part in the evaluation process, which involves filling in a Prince’s Trust profile monitoring form and completing post programme surveys three and six months after receiving the Development Award.

To apply, the young person needs to complete a Online Profile Form  ,if under 18, a signed parental form is required, find attached. Further information on the scheme can be found here: Get funding to train and learn | Help for young people | The Prince’s Trust (princes-trust.org.uk) or if you have any questions, please contact  .

Oakland Foundation – Waiting for applications from Redditch and/or Bromsgrove!!

The Foundation’s focus is to help ‘disadvantaged children under the age of 16 and their families’. They provide funding support based on the following themes:

*Education: to ensure children get the best education, no matter their background.
*Health and nutrition: to ensure children have access to healthy food.
*Sport: to ensure children have access to sport and activities irrespective of social background or physical ability.

Although open to Worcestershire and wider, they are keen to receive applications from Redditch and/or Bromsgrove in particular.  To find out more visit:  The Oakland Foundation (oakland-foundation.com)

Other Newsletters

Carers Careline Newsletter – December 2022 – Find attached

DWP Weekly Update – 25th November & 2nd, 8th and 15th December 2022 – Find attached

DWP Touchbase – 18th and 25th November & 9th December 2022 – Find attached

Healthwatch Worcestershire Bulletin Announcement – November 2022 – Find attached

Carbon Literacy Update – November 2022 – Find attached

This Winter with Active and Creative – Both Bromsgrove and Redditch versions of their latest e-newsletters are attached.