To help us improve our wellbeing, the Make Time campaign asks us to think about and act on the five questions below:

• When was the last time you laughed until you cried?
• When was the last time you got up and out?
• When was the last time you noticed things around you?
• When was the last time you tried something new?
• When was the last time you made someone smile?

You can join the Make Time discussion. Just post on social media to show people how you Make Time to boost your mood. Posts can be tagged with #maketimewarrington.

Make Time is based on the Five Ways to Wellbeing, simple actions that can help us to feel good about ourselves. Research has shown that people who regularly include the Five Ways to Wellbeing in their daily lives are more likely to feel positive. The Five Ways to Wellbeing, which underpin Make Time, are:

• Connect: spend time with people who are important to you.
• Be active: at a level that suits your mobility and fitness.
• Take notice: be more aware of the world around you. Be curious.
• Keep learning: try something new or different, start a new hobby.
• Give: do something thoughtful for someone else, or volunteer your time. On the kindness and mental wellbeing page, you'll find ideas for small, kind acts which could boost your own and others' mental wellbeing.

The Make Time campaign prompts us all to think about what we currently do that makes us feel good and how we might fit more of the Five Ways to Wellbeing into our daily lives and so maintain or improve our mental wellbeing.

YouTube has a short animation, produced by Rochdale Borough Council, explaining the Five Ways to Wellbeing.

The Mental Health Foundation (MHF) has pages explaining how doing things for other people can improve your mental wellbeing. (This links to "Give", from the Five Ways to Wellbeing). 

Make Time resources 

You can download the following Make Time resources:

• Make Time prompt sheet (PDF) 
  This is a full colour, double-sided, A4 resource, which encourages people to think about what they do now to feel good about themselves, and what else they might do. It can be used in 1-1s or people can fill it in themselves. The Make Time prompt sheet, is clear, colourful and explains the Make Time campaign without using jargon.
  
  
• Make Time 5 image sheet (PDF) 
  This is a full colour, single-sided, A4 resource, with text explaining each of the Make Time questions. The sheet also includes an image for each question.

Make Time word searches
There are three Make Time word searches, each encourages people to focus on one of the Make Time questions. The Connections and Activity word searches include an explanation of Make Time, while the Take Notice word search has information about mindfulness and how it can help improve mental wellbeing.

You can download the word searches and their answers, from the links below:

Make Time connections word search (PDF)
Answers to connections word search (PDF)

Make Time activity word search (PDF)
Answers to activity word search (PDF)

Make Time take notice word search (PDF)
Answers to take notice word search (PDF)

Free hard copies
Free hard copies Make Time materials are available. You can download a form to request paper resources, from the order form page.

Resources available on loan
Make Time pull up banners are available on loan, to book a banner please email resources@warrington.gov.uk.

Social media posts
If you'd like to promote the Make Time campaign on social media, you can download suggested wording for online posts (as a Word document) here.

This arts and wellbeing service offers a range of activities to help Warrington residents (aged 18 and over) to improve their health and wellbeing. The face to face activities usually offered include drama, drawing, media, music, sports, painting, photography, Read to Relax and walking groups. You can refer yourself into the groups, or can be referred by a health or social care worker.

During the COVID-19 pandemic Creative Remedies' staff have been posting tutorials on Facebook. The videos cover a range of subjects such as photography, guitar lessons and art activities.

Creative Remedies is Warrington's arts and mental health initiative. You can find more details about Creative Remedies' work here.

The “podcasts for your wellbeing” page on this site offers a variety of free podcasts focusing on different aspects of wellbeing. The areas covered include wellbeing and sleep, relaxation, nutrition, exercise and positive thinking. 

Visit the Mental Health Foundation's website

This page offers a range of short audio relaxation exercises. The exercises focus on wellbeing through breathing, visualisation, progressive muscle relaxation and candle gazing. You can choose between a male and a female voice.

Visit CNTW NHS Trust's website

Mind's site includes a five minute video on relaxation for mental wellbeing. There is also a range of PDF booklets, which you can download free, these include:

• A booklet on "How to improve your mental wellbeing"
• A booklet on "Relaxation"

Activity scheduling is a simple CBT technique, which can help make your week more structured and satisfying. The aim of activity scheduling is not to fill every day, but to get a balance of different activities throughout the week, including pleasurable, social, physical and necessary activities. Activity scheduling can be particularly useful for people experiencing depression, or anxiety. You can download a PDF of the BBC's activity scheduling sheet.

This website offers a range of CBT self-help resources, which can be downloaded free. The resources include worksheets, information sheets and MP3 files.

Visit Get.gg’s website

This site offers free online CBT-based, life-skills courses to help you to work out why you feel as you do; to tackle your problems; to build confidence; and to feel happier. You can also download free worksheets from the site, including planning sheets, worry strips and an anxiety diary sheet.

Visit Living Life to the Full’s website 

This site has a range of clear, easy to read, self-help booklets which are based on CBT. The booklets cover different aspects of mental wellbeing and mental health problems; they are available in a variety of formats; and can be downloaded free. There is also a free app for iPhone, iPad and Android, which allows you to access the full range of self-help booklets.

Visit CNTW NHS Trust's website

The Mental Health Foundation has a number of podcasts focusing on mindfulness including:

• A 10 minute podcast with a mindfulness exercise 
• A 13 minute podcast explaining mindfulness and its benefits 

This site, which was developed by the Mental Health Foundation, has information on:

• What mindfulness is 
• Finding a mindfulness teacher 
• Learning mindfulness online 
• Mindfulness training for health care and work places 
• Evidence and research 

Be Mindful’s online mindfulness course costs £30, but the first session is free, to help you decide if it’s something you’d like to learn more about.

The site also has:

• a three minute mindfulness breathing exercise
• a PDF booklet "How to look after your mental health using mindfulness"

Visit Be Mindful's website

This site has short podcasts, with suggestions for practising mindfulness when doing the routine activities of brushing your teeth, eating a satsuma, standing in a queue and walking.

This charity has a number of pages focusing on mindfulness. These include a free PDF booklet on how to practise mindfulness; how mindfulness can help with mental health problems; and tips for taking a mindful moment in nature.

The information about mindfulness on this site covers:

• What mindfulness is 
• How mindfulness helps with mental wellbeing 
• How to be more mindful 
• Different mindfulness practices 
• Tips on wellbeing

Visit the NHS website

This site has a short audio exercise on mindful breathing. The exercise lasts about three minutes and is available in both a male and a female voice.

Visit CNTW NHS Trust's website

These free weekly reading groups aim to improve wellbeing and reduce isolation. The Read to Relax groups bring people together to read, have a cup of tea and a chat. Group members are read to, so they can just sit back and listen. There are currently four Read to Relax Groups running in LiveWire's libraries:

Visit the Read to Relax webpage

Creative Remedies also offers a Read to Relax Group. For more information call 01925 443555 or email creativeremedies@warrington.gov.uk.

The Reader
The Read to Relax groups are based on an approach developed by the Reader, a charity which aims to promote wellbeing and reduce social isolation through shared reading. The Reader offers free training and ongoing support to help volunteers set up and run shared reading groups, to promote wellbeing in their community or workplace. 

Visit the Reader’s website 

The Reading Agency has put together lists of mood-boosting books, which include novels, non-fiction, poetry and graphic novels. These books are recommended (by members of reading groups) for anyone who is feeling stressed, or wants to boost their mood. Many of the books can be borrowed from LiveWire Libraries. If you know your library number and PIN you can reserve books online and ask for them to be delivered free, to your local Warrington library.

Visit the Reading Well website

This scheme encourages people to read recommended self-help books for issues such as depression, anxiety and sleep problems. All the books are endorsed by health care professionals and can be borrowed free from your local LiveWire Library. GPs and other health professionals can recommend the self-help books as part of your treatment. More details about how you can borrow Books on Prescription from your local library, can be found on LiveWire Libraries' webpages. More information about the national scheme can be found on the link below. 

Visit the Reading Well website

This is a national initiative which brings together 25 books on dementia, recommended by the Reading Agency. The collection was chosen by healthcare experts, people with dementia and carers’ groups. The books are for people with dementia, their carers, friends, family and anyone who wants to find out more. Each of the LiveWire Libraries has a collection of the books, which can be borrowed free. Health professionals can also prescribe books from the list to their patients.

Visit the Reading Well website

This site has free downloadable resources on Sleep and Wellbeing. These resources are designed for teachers to use with young people aged 10-16. The materials aim to help young people explore the physical and mental benefits of sleep. They include action plan worksheets, ideas for activities, lesson plans and PowerPoints.

Visit Public Health England's website 

This site has a range of free self-help booklets, one of them focuses on sleeping problems. The booklets are clear, easy to read and based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). They're available in a variety of formats and can be downloaded free for personal use. There is also a free app for iPhone, iPad and Android, which allows people to access the full range of self-help booklets that the site offers. 

Visit CNTW NHS Trust's website

The Every Mind Matters site has information and advice on how you can look after your mental wellbeing, or find support for mental health problems. It includes several pages on sleep, which cover:

• Understanding sleep problems
• Top tips for a better sleep
• Signs of sleep problems
• What causes sleep problems
• Getting help

The site also has an interactive tool, Your Mind Plan, which will suggest simple actions you could take to improve your mental health.

Visit Every Mind Matters website 

This service offers a range of talking treatments to people experiencing issues such as depression, anxiety, panic, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The treatments include disorder specific workshops, guided self-help and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). If someone’s sleep is affected by their depression or anxiety, sleep hygiene is one of the interventions the service can offer.

Due to COVID-19 Talking Matters Warrington is currently providing psychological support by phone, video conferencing and through the Silvercloud e-therapy platform.

To use the service people need to be aged 16 or over and registered with a GP in Warrington. People can be referred into the service by a GP, or can refer themselves. Referrals can be made by:

• emailing a referral form to tmw.referrals@nhs.net
  
• calling 01925 401720 and leaving a message for staff to ring you back

The referral form can be downloaded from Talking Matters’ webpages. 

Making Space offers a range of free, computerised cognitive behaviour therapy (cCBT) programmes. The programmes are confidential and you can refer yourself. For you to get the most out of the programmes, basic computer skills are desirable. You need to be 16 or over and registered with a GP in Warrington to use this service.

cCBT can be an effective treatment for mild to moderate conditions such as low mood, worry, panic, agoraphobia and sleep problems. The computerised programmes aim to help people recognise and challenge negative thinking and behaviour within themselves, and to develop coping skills. The sleep module covers sleeping habits, relaxation and thoughts that might keep you awake. Each person receives up to six weekly treatment sessions, with one to one support. It's also possible to work through these programmes at home with weekly telephone support sessions.

Visit Making Space's website

Information on this site covers different types of sleep problem, self-help strategies and treatments. There’s also information about sleep problems in children. Podcasts on sleep, relaxation and mental wellbeing are available on the site. Booklets on different aspects of mental health and wellbeing can be downloaded free, or bought from the site. One of the booklets, “How to Sleep Better”, gives self-help tips for a good night’s sleep.

Visit the Mental Health Foundation’s website

The national charity Mind, provides information on a wide range of mental health and wellbeing issues. The site has information about different types of sleep problems, including insomnia. This can be downloaded free as a PDF booklet and includes practical self-help tips and details of where you can go for support. 

Visit Mind's website

The MindEd website provides free e-learning resources on mental health and wellbeing. The e-learning is aimed at the general public, volunteers and professionals. The resources for families focus on children, young people and older people. The site aims to help people understand what problems can occur, what self-help approaches might work and what support is available. On the families’ section of the site, two of the learning resources relate to sleep problems:

• Sleep difficulties (young people) 
  
  
• I cannot sleep (older people) 

Visit MindEd for Families 

The sleep pages on this site cover tiredness and fatigue, sleep tips and children’s sleep. There’s also a page on insomnia, which includes a sleep self-assessment with practical tips for improving sleep.

Visit the NHS website

The Books on Prescription scheme encourages people to read recommended self-help books for issues such as depression and anxiety. One of the books, The Sleep Book: How to Sleep Well Every Night, focuses on sleep. All the books are endorsed by health care professionals and can be borrowed free from LiveWire Libraries. GPs and other health professionals can also recommend the self-help books as part of your treatment. For details about the Warrington Books on Prescription Scheme and to see the full range of recommended books visit LiveWire Libraries’ site. More information about the national scheme can be found on the link below.

Visit the Reading Well website

This site has clear, non-medical information aimed at the general public, including two pages which focus on sleep.

• Sleeping well
  The information on this page outlines a number of sleep problems. It also gives simple tips on how to sleep better and how to decide if you need more help. 
  
  
• Sleep problems in childhood and adolescence: for parents and carers
  This page looks the reasons why some children and young people have sleep problems. It also offers practical advice. 

Below are details of the NHS Apps Library and ORCHA, both sites assess and rate health and wellbeing apps. The aim of assessing apps is to help people decide which app might be best for them. Both sites are aimed at the general public. The assessment of the apps covers areas such as safety, effectiveness and data protection.

NHS Apps Library
This site lists apps which may help people manage, or improve their health. It includes a section on mental health apps and a small section on sleep apps. The NHS assesses the apps to make sure that only apps that are safe and secure are included in the digital library. The assessment covers how effective the app is, how easy it is to use, clinical safety and data protection. Many of the apps listed are free, though there's a charge for some.

Visit the NHS Apps Library

This organisation helps people find the best apps to improve their health. ORCHA reviews and rates health, wellbeing, fitness and medical apps against certain standards. The review process involves checking each apps' performance in relation to effectiveness, safety, security and usability. A number of the apps on ORCHA's site relate to mental wellbeing and sleep. The website's design means that you can easily search for apps by topic, platform and cost.

In February 2020 ORCHA rated Sleepio, Sleeprate and Ambio Sleep Sounds the highest, for improving sleep. You can read about these apps here.

Visit ORCHA's app finder pages

The Warrington Wellbeing Team helps people get the information, advice and practical support they need to improve their health and wellbeing. The Team offers free, one to one support, to help people manage things like loneliness, money worries, health problems and reducing smoking. Anyone over the age of 18, who lives or works in Warrington, can self-refer into the Service. People can also refer family members and friends. Some information and advice is provided by the Team members themselves, but when specialist advice is needed, Wellbeing staff will refer people on to the appropriate service. 

For more information visit the webpage below, or call the Warrington Wellbeing Team on 01925 248460.

Visit Warrington Wellbeing's webpage

The local Mental Health Crisis Line is: 

• available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• for people experiencing a mental health crisis, who need urgent support
• for people concerned that a friend or family member is in a mental health crisis
• for people who live in Warrington, Halton, Knowsley or St Helens 
• for people of all ages, including children and young people
• free to call

Call 0800 051 1508

When you call the Crisis Line, a mental health professional will talk to you, listen to your worries and try to understand your current problems. You and the health professional will then make a plan of how best to meet your needs.

This could include:

• A mental health assessment, or a referral for an assessment
• A referral to one of Mersey Care Trust’s mental health services
• Contacting the local psychological therapy service
• Contacting services which can support you with difficulties relating to things such as housing, financial advice, or drug and alcohol issues.

If you are already receiving support for your mental health, you can ring the Crisis Line, or the service you’re receiving support from.

The Crisis Line is run by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Shout provides free, confidential, 24/7, text support to anyone who’s feeling overwhelmed or is struggling to cope. This includes children, young people and adults.

The text support service is staffed by trained volunteers who will work with you, to help you take steps to feel better. Shout can help with issues such as stress, anxiety and depression.

If you live in Warrington, Halton, Knowlsey, or St Helens simply text “REACH” to 85258 any time of day or night, for immediate support. (If you live in another area you can text “Shout” to 85258 for support).

You can read more about the support available from the text service, on Shout’s website.

If you don't need urgent help, but you’d like support to manage your mental health and wellbeing, there is a range of options:

• If you are already receiving support for your mental health, you can ring the service you’re receiving support from. Or you can get in touch with your care co-ordinator, the person who looks after your care, or the person from the team you usually see. Their number will be in your recovery plan.
  
  
• If you're experiencing a mental health problem such as anxiety, depression or stress, then you could refer yourself to IAPT, Talking Matters Warrington. (This service is for people aged 16 or over, who are registered with a GP in Warrington).
  
  
• Another option, if you don’t need urgent help, is to get in touch with your GP. Your GP will ask you about the difficulties you’re experiencing and may refer you to a service which can offer specialist help.
  
  
• You could also click one of the age-related, blue buttons above, then look under the dark heading “Information and support”. You’ll find details there of wide range of local and national support services.

CALM is for anyone in the UK who is down and needs to talk. CALM offers free, confidential support through a helpline and webchat. Support is available from 5pm to midnight every day.

Helpline: 0800 58 58 58
Visit CALM’s website

Childline’s free helpline offers confidential telephone counselling and advice to children and young people, who are under 19 years old. Support is also available through email, online chat with a Childline counsellor, and the website’s message boards.

Ring: 0800 1111
Visit Childline's website

PAPYRUS’ HOPELINEUK is for young people (aged under 35) who are having thoughts of suicide and anyone who is worried about a young person who may be at risk of suicide. When you ring you don’t have to give your name, or any personal details. All calls are confidential, but if an advisor is concerned about a young person’s safety then PAPYRUS may contact emergency services to ensure the young person doesn’t come to harm.

HOPELINEUK 0800 068 41 41
Text 07860 039967
pat@papyrus-uk.org 
Visit PAPYRUS' website

Samaritans offers a safe place for you to talk, at any time, day or night, about whatever is getting to you. You don’t have to be suicidal to get in touch with Samaritans. You can call, email, write, or visit Samaritans face-to-face.

116 123 this number is free to call
jo@samaritans.org
Visit Samaritans' website

This free suicide prevention app includes details of crisis support in Warrington, as well as national support services.

The Stay Alive app is for anyone who feels suicidal. It's also for people who are concerned about someone else’s suicidal thoughts. The app includes:

• a safety plan
• reasons for living (you can add your own personal reasons)
• a life box where you can store photos and memories that are important to you
• strategies for staying safe
• tips on how to stay grounded, when you're feeling overwhelmed
• a wellness plan
• details of local and national support services

You can download the Stay Alive app free from the App Store or Google Play. More details about the app can be found on the Grassroots Suicide Prevention website.

This service supports Warrington residents of all ages, who have memory problems, like dementia. Ways in which the Memory Assessment and Treatment Service can help include:

• providing medicines to manage symptoms, when someone has been diagnosed with dementia
• linking people with other local support services, such as home care
• providing support and advice to carers

If you are worried about your memory, then make an appointment to see your GP. Your GP can discuss your symptoms with you and rule out possible causes. If your GP thinks the Memory Assessment and Treatment Service might help you, they can refer you to the Service for an assessment. For more details about the range of support offered, you can contact the Service directly on 01925 664041.

Visit Mersey Care Trust's website

The Healthy and Happy exercise class at LiveWire's Great Sankey Neighbourhood Hub, is aimed at people living with dementia and their carers. The session involves 30-40 minutes of low impact exercise, followed by relaxation.

For more details about the support that LiveWire can offer customers living with dementia, please call Great Sankey Neighbourhood Hub on 01925 724411.

Visit LiveWire’s website

This is a national initiative adopted by local libraries which brings together 25 books on dementia. The collection was chosen by healthcare experts, people with dementia and carers’ groups. The books are for people with dementia, their carers, friends, family and anyone who wants to find out more. Each of the LiveWire Libraries has a collection of the books, which can be borrowed free. Health professionals can also prescribe books from the list to their patients.

Visit the Reading Well website

Warrington Wellbeing helps people  get the information, advice and practical support they need to improve their health and wellbeing.

Following a diagnosis of dementia at Warrington’s Later Life and Memory Service (LLAMS), people living with dementia and their carers are referred to Warrington Wellbeing. The Wellbeing Team can help people access dementia friendly activities, provide support with finances, and help arrange equipment and support for carers. The Team can also offer free one to one support, to help people manage things like loneliness, money worries, health problems and reducing smoking.

Anyone over the age of 18 who lives or works in Warrington can self-refer into the Service. People can also refer family members and friends. Some information and advice is provided by the Team members themselves, but when specialist advice is needed Wellbeing staff will refer people on to the appropriate service. For more information visit the webpage below, or call the Warrington Wellbeing team on 01925 248460.

Visit Warrington Wellbeing's webpage

Cheshire and Warrington Carers Trust offers a range of support to carers. Support includes information about health issues, entitlements, mobility, grants for holidays and equipment. The Trust also runs a helpline and provides activities, training and events for carers. The Warrington base is at the Gateway, on Sankey Street, opposite the town hall and the golden gates.

Visit Cheshire and Warrington Carers' Trust

Wired - Warrington Carers' Centre

The service offers information and support to carers, as well as social events, training opportunities and stress management. Wired also produces a quarterly newsletter and runs a drop-in support service for carers.

Visit Warrington Adult Carers' webpages

Warrington Borough Council has additional information about support for people living with dementia and support for carers. Details of services which support people affected by dementia can also be found on My Life Warrington.

This free app has been designed by, and for, people living with dementia and their carers. The app enables people to explore everyday objects from the past and to share memories together. The objects the app covers are linked to a number of themes including school, work, leisure and maritime. The app is available for both iOS and android devices, you can find more details about the app and how to download it on the House of Memories website.

House of Memories is a dementia awareness programme, run by National Museums Liverpool. The programme offers training, resources, and museum-based activities to both professional carers and to family and friends. The aim is to help people share memories; improve communication and focus on the person living with dementia, rather than the condition. The workshops for family members and friends are free.

Visit the House of Memories website

Mind’s website has information sheets on different aspects of mental health, many include suggestions for self-help. The information can be read online or downloaded free as PDFs. Mind's Infoline provides information on a wide range of topics including different mental health problems, where to get help locally and the types of support and treatment available.

Visit Mind's website

This site has information and advice about mental health and how you can look after your mental wellbeing, or find support. It’s aimed at people who are concerned about their own mental health and at people who are worried about someone else’s mental health.

The site has an interactive tool Your Mind Plan, which will suggest simple actions you could take to improve your mental health. The advice the tool gives might include things such as:

• borrowing self-help books from your local library
• starting a new activity or course
  
• contacting the local talking therapy service
  

To help you follow through the suggestions in your action plan, you can find information about activities and services in Warrington, in the following ways:

To find details of local mental health services, look under some of the drop down headings below. Alternatively if someone needs help right now click "I need urgent help" above.

My Life Warrington: has details about a broad range of local activities and services, which could help support your mental health and wellbeing. The areas the site covers include things to do, health and wellbeing and housing.

Visit Every Mind Matters' website

This site has a wide range of free fact sheets, covering different mental health conditions.

Visit Rethink's website

This website has clear, non-medical information aimed at the general public. Many different aspects of mental health, mental health problems and available treatments are covered. The information can be downloaded free.

Visit the RCPsych's website

The organisation supports older people (50+) to live healthily and independently. The range of support offered by Age UK Mid Mersey includes information and advice, a befriending service, social activities, and a counselling service.

Visit Age UK Mid Mersey's website

Visit Age UK's mental wellbeing webpages

This charity provides free information and advice to older people and their families. The areas covered include care and support, money and benefits and health and mobility. Independent Age also offers a free phone call and visiting service, to help reduce loneliness.

On the website you'll find a wide range of free advice guides and fact sheets, which can be ordered or downloaded free. A number of these relate to mental health and wellbeing including:

• Coping with Bereavement
• If You're Feeling Lonely
• How to Stay Socially Connected
• Dealing with Depression
• Living with Depression

Visit Independent Age's website

LifeTime is a network for people in Warrington who are over 50. It offers age-relevant advice, training and social events, as well as putting people in touch with health information and support. LifeTime is based in The Gateway, Sankey Street, Warrington.

Visit LifeTime's website

This site has details about a broad range of local activities and services, which could help support your mental health and wellbeing. The areas the site covers include:

• early help and childcare
• things to do
• health and wellbeing
• housing and care homes
• support for carers
• education and work
• getting around
• help at home and in the community
• money and legal advice
• Ask Ollie

Ask Ollie, also known as “The Local Offer”, is Warrington's online directory of services and support for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Visit the website of My Life Warrington

This team is the first point of contact in Warrington Borough Council for Adult Social Care services. The team works with people over the age of 18 who have care and support needs. (This might include the need for things such as home care workers, equipment, or respite breaks).

When you contact the Team for support, a social care assessment will be carried out using the Care Act (2014) eligibility criteria. This will identify whether you have eligible needs. If you do, then the team will work with you to identify how your needs can best be met. If your needs don’t meet the Care Act eligibility criteria, then the team will signpost you to community support services.

The First Response Team also deals with issues relating to adult safeguarding in Warrington.

If you’re not able to contact the First Response Team yourself, then someone else can make contact on your behalf, as long as you’ve given them your permission. To help make sure that you get the right support, the First Response Team will pass your details on to other teams if necessary.

Visit the First Response Team’s webpage

The WAND website aims to help local people find the advice they need. It’s straightforward to use and has sections on where people in Warrington can get advice about many different issues including:

• housing
• debt and money
• consumer issues
• benefits
• employment
• health
• discrimination
• education
• relationships

The WAND site was set up by a partnership of organisations in Warrington, led by Warrington CAB.

Visit WAND's website

The Warrington Wellbeing Team helps people get the information, advice and practical support they need to improve their health and wellbeing. The Team offers free, one to one support, to help people manage things like loneliness, money worries, health problems and reducing smoking. Anyone over the age of 18, who lives or works in Warrington, can self-refer into the service. People can also refer family members and friends. Some information and advice is provided by the Team members themselves, but when specialist advice is needed, Wellbeing staff will refer people on to the appropriate service.

For more information visit the webpage below, or call the Warrington Wellbeing Team on 01925 248460.

Visit Warrington Wellbeing's webpage

This site provides easy to read information on a range of different mental and physical health problems. It also has information and practical ideas to help you look after yourself.

Visit the NHS website

This site includes clear information leaflets on both physical and mental health conditions. It also has details of support groups.

Visit Patient UK website

WHiA is an advisory service for older, disabled or vulnerable people and for families on low incomes, who own their homes, or who live in private rented accommodation and who wish to repair, improve or adapt their homes. Some of WHiA’s services are free and some home improvement work may be eligible for grant funding. For some services there’s a charge, this is explained to individuals when they contact WHiA.

WHiA also runs Warrington Healthy Homes, a home visiting service, which provides advice and practical support to help people over 60 and younger vulnerable people, to stay safe and well in their homes. The service can help with issues such as:

• home security
• repairs and home improvements
• home adaptations to improve mobility
• a handyman service
• advice on funding and benefits

Visit WHiA’s webpages

Age UK offers two different telephone friendship services:

• The regular telephone friendship service: this links people who are over 60 with a friendly volunteer, for a weekly chat. You don’t have to be feeling lonely, or living on your own to use this service.
  
  
• The Silver Line 0800 4 70 80 90: this is a free, confidential 24 hour helpline for people aged 55 and over. You can call for a chat, for any reason, at any time. The SilverLine can:
  
  
• offer conversation and friendship
• provide information and advice
• link you with groups and services in your area

Age UK’s website has more details about these friendship services, including how you can register for weekly calls.

Visit Age UK’s website

Good Neighbours volunteers offer support to people who are socially isolated. The support volunteers can offer includes:

• Ringing you for a chat every week.
• Collecting your shopping, or prescriptions.
• Meeting you for walks.

You can contact Good Neighbours to ask for support yourself, or a professional can refer you into the service. To get support from Good Neighbours you need to:

• Live in Warrington.
• Be aged 18, or over.
• Be unable to carry out activities by yourself, due to barriers such as health, age, disability or COVID-19.
• Have no one in your support network that can help.

You can find more details on the link below. Good Neighbours is run by Warrington Voluntary Action.

Visit Good Neighbours' webpages

Independent Age offers a free, telephone friendship service, to older people. Older people can sign up for a regular chat with a volunteer themselves, or someone can refer an older person into the service. More details about this support and how to sign up for it, can be found on Independent Age’s website.

Independent Age also has a free advice guide: If You're Feeling Lonely. This includes suggestions for reducing loneliness and details of where you can ask for support. You can download the guide from the site, or order a copy by phone.

Mind has an information sheet on loneliness. This explains some of the causes and gives practical tips for managing loneliness. It also suggests where you could go for support. You can read the information sheet online, or download it free. Mind's information on loneliness was written before the COVID-19 pandemic, so doesn't take lockdown, or social distancing into account.

Visit Mind's website

MindEd provides information and advice about mental health and wellbeing. The site includes pages for older people and their families. How to manage loneliness is one of the areas covered. The information is presented in the form of e-learning. It includes:

• the cycle of loneliness
• what can help
• what can others do

Visit MindEd for Families’ website

This site provides easy to read information on a range of different health and wellbeing issues, including loneliness. The information on loneliness covers practical tips for older people. It also includes advice on how others can support older people who are lonely. The information on the links below was written before the COVID-19 pandemic, so doesn't take lockdown, or social distancing into account.

Loneliness in older people

Loneliness in the elderly, how to help

This service supports people who need practical help during the COVID-19 pandemic. This could be people who are self-isolating, who are clinically vulnerable, or carers.

The support offered includes:

• Regular chats by phone, for people who are isolated.
• Collecting and delivering food shopping and other essential items.
• Helping people with online shopping.
• Collecting and delivering prescriptions, from pharmacies.
• Transport to medical appointments.

You’ll find more details on the link below, including who is eligible for support from the service and how to register.

Visit the NHS Volunteer Responders’ website

This charity aims to reduce loneliness and social isolation amongst older people, by providing social activities. In response to the pandemic, Re-engage has set up a free telephone befriending service called Companions. The befriending service is for people in the UK, over 75, who live alone. Companions offers older people friendly phone calls, on a regular basis, with the same volunteer. You can contact the Companions' service directly yourself. Re-engage will also take referrals from an older person's family members, or friends, or from a professional who's supporting an older person.

Visit Re-engage's website

Warrington Wellbeing
This Team helps people get the information, advice and practical support they need to improve their health and wellbeing. The Team offers free, one to one support, to help people manage things like loneliness, money worries, health problems and reducing smoking.

Anyone over the age of 18 who lives or works in Warrington can refer themselves into the service. People can also refer family members and friends. Some information and advice is provided by the Team members themselves, but when specialist advice is needed Wellbeing staff will refer people on to the appropriate service. For more information visit the webpage below, or call the Warrington Wellbeing Team on 01925 248460.

Visit Warrington Wellbeing's webpage

The Safe & Well Service
This service is part of Warrington Wellbeing. The Safe & Well Service supports people who are clinically extremely vulnerable and are self-isolating because of COVID-19. The Safe & Well Service gives advice and support to make sure that people have a reliable food supply and that their medication is delivered. Reassurance calls, general advice and signposting to other services can also be provided. People can self-refer, or can refer others into the Safe and Well Service. A referral form and more details about the support that the Service offers, can be found on the link below. Referrals are also accepted though Contact Warrington, call 01925 443322.

Visit WBC's coronavirus webpages

This site explains:

• what therapy is
• what therapists should do
• different types of therapy
• questions it’s useful to ask before you choose a therapist

The online directory means you can search for counsellors, or therapists in your local area. To be included in the directory, therapists and services need to be registered or accredited. Most of the people listed are private therapists, who charge for their services.

Visit BACP's website

If you’re looking for talking therapy, or counselling, then you might want to ask your GP whether you could be referred for free therapy, on the NHS. You could also take a look at some of the sites below, these organisations all offer free, or low cost counselling or talking therapy in Warrington.

• IAPT - Talking Matters Warrington
  
  
• Pathway Community Counselling
  
  
• St Joseph’s Family Centre

CALM is for anyone in the UK who is down and needs to talk. CALM offers free confidential support through a helpline and webchat. Support is available from 5pm to midnight every day.

Visit CALM's website

This service offers a range of talking treatments to people experiencing issues such as depression, anxiety, panic, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The treatments include guided self-help and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

To use the service, people need to be aged 16 or over and registered with a GP in Warrington. People can be referred into the service by a GP, or can refer themselves. Referrals can be made by:

• emailing a referral form to tmw.referrals@nhs.net
  
• calling 01925 401720 and leaving a message for staff to ring you back

The referral form can be downloaded from Talking Matters’ webpages.

Making Space offers a range of free, computerised cognitive behaviour therapy (cCBT) programmes. The programmes are confidential and you can refer yourself. For you to get the most out of the programmes, basic computer skills are desirable. You need to be registered with a GP in Warrington to use this service.

cCBT can be an effective treatment for mild to moderate conditions such as:

• low mood
• worry
• panic
• agoraphobia
• sleep problems
• obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

The computerised programmes aim to help people recognise and challenge negative thinking and behaviour within themselves, and develop coping skills. Each person receives up to six weekly treatment sessions, with one to one support. It's also possible to work through these programmes at home with weekly telephone support sessions.

Visit Making Space's website

This website provides clear information for older people and their families. The site covers mental wellbeing; concerns older people might have; and mental health problems that can affect older people.

Visit MindEd for Families' website

This trust provides treatment, support and guidance for people in Warrington affected by mental health problems or learning disabilities. To receive most of the services you need to be referred in by your GP, or another health professional. The website:

• explains the range of services and support available
• gives details about mental health problems
• has information on how to look after your mental health
• explains how service users and carers can get more involved

Visit Mersey Care Trust's website

This Orford based service offers counselling for a wide range of different issues. After an initial assessment you may be offered 6 weekly sessions of 50 minutes.

Visit Pathway's Facebook page

This scheme encourages people to read recommended self-help books for issues such as depression, anxiety and sleep problems. The books have been chosen by health care professionals and can be borrowed free from your local LiveWire Library. For details about the Warrington Books on Prescription Scheme and to see the range of recommended books visit the LiveWire Libraries page. For more information about the national scheme visit the Reading Well webpages.

If you like reading you might also be interested in the Read to Relax groups in Warrington and the Reading Agency's Mood-boosting books. Click here for the Mood-Boosting books' webpage. Click here for the Mood-Boosting book list chosen by older people.

These free weekly reading groups aim to improve wellbeing and reduce isolation. The Read to Relax groups bring people together to read, have a cup of tea and a chat. Group members are read to, so they can just sit back and listen. There are currently four Read to Relax Groups running in LiveWire's libraries:

Visit the Read to Relax webpage

Creative Remedies also offers a Read to Relax Group.

If you like reading you might also be interested in the Reading Agency's Mood-Boosting books. Click here for the Mood-Boosting books' webpage. Click here for the Mood-Boosting book list chosen by older people.

Samaritans offers a safe place for you to talk, at any time, day or night, about whatever is getting to you. You don’t have to be suicidal to get in touch with Samaritans. You can call, email, write, or visit Samaritans face-to-face.

116 123 this number is free to call
jo@samaritans.org
Visit Samaritans' website

This Warrington based charity provides a range of support services including:

• counselling
• family contact services (so children of separated families can enjoy contact with their parents)
• the provision of food, furniture, bedding and essential household items for people and families in crisis
• short courses on parenting and anger management

Visit St Joseph's website

WBC provides a range of support for people with mental health problems. This includes the following groups and courses, which are for people aged 18 or over:

Star Support Service
Star Support is a structured one-to-one support package to help people with mental health problems achieve small goals that will make a big difference to their lives. The support is tailored to individuals' needs and can help build confidence, reduce anxiety and enable people to access mainstream community activities.

To receive the Star Support Service you need to be referred by one of the following services:

• North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust: inpatient wards at Hollins Park Hospital, the Assessment Team, Home Treatment Team, Early Intervention Team and Recovery Team can all refer into Star Support.
• Lea Court
• The Psychiatric Liaison Team
• Warrington and Halton NHS Foundation Trust’s Discharge Team
• Warrington Borough Council’s Neighbourhoods’ Complex Stream and First Response Team
• CGL Pathways to Recovery

Group Therapies

• Positive Thoughts: This seven week group therapy course is based on how our thoughts influence the way we feel; and ways of promoting more helpful thinking.
  
  
• Anxiety Management: These group sessions cover different ways to manage the pressures of life. The group therapies run over several weeks and are based in community venues. Both the Positive Thoughts and Anxiety Management groups are structured courses.

All referrals for group therapies go through Warrington Wellbeing. You can contact Warrington Wellbeing and refer yourself into group therapies. Alternatively, you can contact the Mental Health Outreach Team (details are below) and they can contact Warrington Wellbeing and refer you into group therapies.

Visit Warrington Wellbeing's webpages

For more details about Group Therapies contact Donna Holman, Mental Health Outreach Team:
Tel. 01925 444233
Email dholman@warrington.gov.uk

Creative Remedies
This arts and wellbeing service for Warrington residents aged 18 and over, offers a range of courses to improve health and wellbeing. Face to face courses usually include:

• drama
• drawing
• media
• music
• sports
• painting
• photography
• Read to Relax groups
• walking groups

You can refer yourself, by just turning up, or a health or social care worker can refer you.

During the COVID-19 pandemic Creative Remedies' staff have been posting tutorials on Facebook. The videos cover a range of subjects such as photography, guitar lessons and art activities.

Visit Creative Remedies' webpage

This service provides support to people over 18 who experience mental health problems. The range of support includes:

• advice
• education
• skills development
• work experience
• peer support
• a range of activities

One-to-one support is offered to everyone who uses the service, at the centre and in the community. The support can cover:

• self-management of mental health problems
• personal development
• goal setting
• help to access other agencies

Visit Making Space's website

This national charity provides information and support to people experiencing anxiety. The helpline is staffed by volunteers with personal experience of anxiety. Areas covered on the site include what anxiety is, treatments and self-help. For a membership fee people can access additional services such as reduced cost therapies and specialist email and phone support.

Visit Anxiety UK's website

Change, Grow, Live (known locally as "Pathways to Recovery") is a free, confidential treatment service for adults in Warrington. The service offers information, advice and support to people affected by drug or alcohol misuse. Through the service people can access a range of treatments, tailored to their needs. These include assessment, referral and different medical and psychological treatments.

Call 01925 415176
Out of hours call 07919 558644
Visit CGL's webpage

This site has a range of clear, easy to read, self-help booklets that are based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). The booklets cover different aspects of mental wellbeing and mental health problems. They're available in a variety of formats and can be downloaded free. There is also a free app for iPhone, iPad and Android, which allows you to access the full range of self-help booklets.

Visit CNTW NHS Trust's website

This peer support group is for men in Warrington, who are feeling lost. It’s open to men (aged 18 or over) who are struggling with their mental health, debt, family worries, or drug or alcohol problems. Due to COVID-19, face to face support meetings have been suspended. The group is still offering support through regular online Zoom events, by phone, through email and through direct message on Facebook. The Zoom meetings focus on peer support and include 10-15 minutes on self-help strategies to promote mental health.

Visit the Facebook page of Directions for Men

This service helps people to cope with a family member's drug or alcohol use. The support Footsteps can offer includes:

• information
• telephone help
• drop–in sessions
• one to one appointments
• home visits
• courses for family members
• a parent support group

Footsteps also offers counselling sessions to anyone over the age of 11. The counselling is for people who have a family member with a drug or alcohol issue; and people who have been bereaved through drug or alcohol use.

Visit Footsteps website

The HVN is a collection of support groups across the country for people who hear voices, see visions or have other unusual perceptions. The groups provide an opportunity for people with shared experiences to come together, support each other and feel valued and understood.

Visit the Hearing Voices Network's website

This charity offers information, advice and support to anyone who is concerned about a parent's drinking. There are different pages for children, young people and other people who are concerned. The charity runs a free, confidential helpline and also offers support via email.

Visit NACA's website

This charity offers support to young people who are having thoughts of suicide and to anyone worried about a young person who may be at risk of suicide. Callers don’t have to give their name, or any personal details. All calls are confidential, but if an advisor is concerned about a caller's safety then PAPYRUS may contact emergency services to ensure they don’t come to harm.

Visit PAPYRUS' website

This UK charity runs a network of peer support groups, for people 18 and over, who are experiencing depression. The groups are facilitated by volunteers. The Warrington group meets on Mondays, 7.00pm-8.30pm at the Gateway, 89 Sankey Street. You don’t need to register in advance, or to make an appointment, you can just turn up on the night.

Visit PeerTalk’s website

This charity provides information, advice and support to people who have been affected by rape or sexual abuse. The services offered include counselling and support if you choose to report the crime to the police, as well as sexual health information and advice. You can refer yourself to the Centre, or a professional can refer you. Referrals are accepted by phone, email, or through the website's contact page.

Visit RSASC's website

This charity provides counselling focussing on a range of issues including:

• relationship counselling
• sex therapy
• family counselling
• young people’s counselling

In addition to this Relate offers workshops and courses for members of the public, professionals and businesses. You can also talk for free to counsellors on Relate's national site using live chat.

Visit Relate Cheshire and Merseyside’s website

The Advocacy Hub, which is based in The Gateway on Sankey Street, offers free, confidential, independent advocacy to any Warrington resident over the age of 18 and to disabled young people over the age of 16.

Advocacy services support people by making sure they have their voice heard on issues that are important to them. The Advocacy Hub brings together a range of advocacy services, to make it easier for people to get the advocacy support which is right for them.

Visit Speak Up Advocacy Hub's webpage

The network provides free, practical and emotional support to anyone in the UK who’s been affected by a terrorist incident, either at home or overseas. This includes people who've been injured, witnesses and people who’ve been bereaved.

Support is available via phone, email, social media and in person. The support offered includes:

• tailored assistance plans
• supportive group activities
• remembrance events
• linking people with other services, such as Victim Support

The network is part of the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace.

Visit SAN’s webpages

WDP offers free information and advice to disabled people, their families and carers, about services and equipment that can help with independence and improve quality of life.

Visit WDP's website

If you're struggling with problems around eating then ask your GP about the support available. Warrington and Halton Eating Disorder Service, which is provided by Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP), provides community treatment and support for people aged 18+, who have moderate to severe eating disorders. You need to be referred to the Service by your GP, or another health professional, however staff at the Eating Disorder Service are happy to talk to anyone about the treatment and support they can offer tel. 01925 248475.

Visit the website of CWP's Eating Disorder Service

This service provides free confidential information and support to anyone living in Warrington who is experiencing domestic violence. The service can:

• explain to people what their options are
• help people to keep safe
• make referrals to other support agencies

Visit the website of Victim Services Cheshire

Call the service above on 01925 243359 Monday to Friday 9.00am-5.00pm

Or call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. This is a 24-Hour freephone number.

The service offers information and support to carers, as well as social events, training opportunities and stress management. Wired also produces a quarterly newsletter and runs a drop-in service for carers.

Visit Warrington Adult Carers' webpages

WWA provides support and safe, temporary accommodation for women and children who leave home because of domestic violence. The website includes useful phone numbers and information about help available if you're experiencing domestic abuse.

Visit WWA's website

The Hub provides advice, guidance and peer support to people in Cheshire who have served in the armed forces and to their families. The Hub, which is based at The Gateway in Sankey Street, can offer support around issues such as housing, debt, benefits, mental health and wellbeing, drug and alcohol use, work placements and employment.

Visit the AFCSH page on My Life Warrington

This UK military charity provides mental health support to serving military personnel, veterans and their families and carers. The support offered includes a 24 hour helpline, community workshops and individual sessions, peer support, drug and alcohol support and specialist clinical treatment in residential centres.

Visit Combat Stress' website

This site has a section that covers a broad range of health issues affecting serving military personnel and veterans. There are a number of pages specifically about veterans' mental health; and also links to support services.

Visit the NHS website

This leaflet outlines the specialist mental health care available to veterans, from the NHS. These services are the NHS Veterans’ Mental Health Transition Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS), and the NHS Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (CTS). The leaflet explains:

• Who the TILS and CTS support is designed for.
• How to access these services.
• The range of support they offer.

Download a PDF of the mental health care for veterans' leaflet

This charity offers advice, information and support to serving military personnel, veterans, their partners and family members. The range of support offered includes benefit and money advice, financial aid, careers advice, help arranging home or hospital visits and support for homeless veterans.

Visit the Royal British Legion's website

SSAFA’s trained volunteers provide practical, emotional and financial support to both veterans and serving military personnel. You can contact SSAFA through the website's online form, or through Forcesline, a free, confidential telephone helpline and email service.

The charity offers support relating to a range of issues including:

• the transition from the Forces to civilian
• practical support relating to mental health problems
• buying household goods
• debt
• mobility
• Gurkha services
• bereavement
• housing and homelessness
• support for offenders and ex-offenders

Visit SSAFA's website

This charity supports people who have experienced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other severe stress-related conditions. The service is free and includes a four-day therapeutic programme. Support is also offered to partners and family members. Talking 2 Minds is run by people who themselves have personal experience of severe stress-related conditions.

Visit Talking 2 Minds' website

This online mental health support service is free to serving military personnel, veterans and their families. The service is anonymous and is available 24/7. Trained professionals ensure the online community remains safe. The aim of Togetherall is to help people experiencing issues such as anxiety, depression, isolation and stress. A range of online support is available including:

• A clinically managed peer support network.
• Self-guided courses, covering a range of mental health and lifestyle topics.
• A library of articles and resources.
• An opportunity for creative self-expression.
• 1-1 Live Therapy appointments, delivered through audio, instant messaging and video.

Visit Togetherall’s website

Veterans’ Gateway is a partnership of organisations and Armed Forces charities, which aims to help veterans and their families get the information, advice and support they need. Veterans’ Gateway advisors can help you access a range of information and services including healthcare, housing, finances, relationships and employment. You can contact Veterans’ Gateway advisors by phone, online chat, or email, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Visit Veterans’ Gateway website

This is a specialist mental health service for military veterans who are registered with a GP in Cheshire or Merseyside. The service provides psychological support and treatment to veterans who have ongoing mental health problems (such as depression, anxiety, substance misuse or trauma) as a result of their time serving in the armed forces. As well as offering clinical treatment the service can link veterans and their families with organisations that offer housing, financial and social support.

Referrals are accepted from a wide range of people including health care professionals, families and carers. Military veterans can also refer themselves into the service by ringing, or completing the form on the website.

Visit the Veterans in Mind webpage

Healthwatch Warrington is Warrington’s independent consumer champion that makes sure the views and experiences of local people are heard by those who run, plan and regulate local health and social care services.

The role of Healthwatch Warrington includes:

• representing the local community by influencing and challenging how health and social care services are provided in Warrington
• examining the quality of local health and social care services
• providing information and advice on people’s rights and choices in relation to health and social care services
• influencing decisions about planning and buying local health and social care services 
• signposting people to appropriate complaints, or advocacy services

When you give feedback to Healthwatch Warrington about local services, your feedback will be summarized, made anonymous and shared with services, regulators and commissioners. This helps the people running local services to understand what they’re doing well and what they might need to change. It also means that you and other people who use local services can play an important role in helping services to develop and improve.

On the Healthwatch Warrington website you can give feedback about a local health or social care service, or write a review of a service. Organisations providing services can respond to your online comments and explain how they plan to make changes or improvements to their service. You can also submit feedback about services through Healthwatch’s Facebook page, by using a freepost comment card, or by phone. Another way you can connect with Healthwatch is on Twitter.

If you're aged 14-25, interested in volunteering and keen to help improve local health and social care services, you might be interested in the group Youthwatch.

Call 01925 246 893
Email contact@healthwatchwarrington.co.uk
Visit Healthwatch Warrington’s website

NHS Complaints Advocacy
Healthwatch Warrington also offers an NHS Complaints Advocacy Service. This is free, confidential and independent. The service provides information and support to help people:

• understand their rights and options
• make informed choices
• understand the NHS complaints process

Visit the webpages for NHS Complaints Advocacy

If you want to give feedback to Mersey Care Trust about care or treatment that you, or someone you support, received, then you can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Team (PALS), or the Complaints Team at the Trust.

Call PALS on 0800 328 2941 
Email palsandcomplaints@merseycare.nhs.uk
Visit Mersey Care Trust's website

Halton and Warrington Clinical Commissioning Groups fund many of the health services for Halton and Warrington residents. If you want to give feedback about the healthcare you receive, or have queries about a commissioning decision, then you can contact the CCGs' Patient Experience Team.

Call 0800 218 2333
Email mlcsu.pals@nhs.net
Visit Halton and Warrington CCGs' website

Making a complaint about a service commissioned by Warrington CCG
If you wish to make a complaint about any service commissioned by the CCG, you can contact the health provider themselves through their PALS. You can find contact details for your local PALS on the NHS website. 

GPs, dentists and pharmacies
If you have concern about a GP, dentist or pharmacy you can contact NHS England:

Call 0300 311 22 33
Email england.contactus@nhs.uk
Visit NHS England's website

This local project recruits and supports volunteers with lived experience of mental health problems (champions). The champions’ role is to challenge stigma and discrimination associated with mental health problems, through campaigns, events and activities across Warrington. The project is led by Warrington Speak Up.

Tel: 01925 246938
Email: GWT@warringtonspeakup.org.uk
Facebook & Twitter: @GetWarringtonTalking

Time to Change is a social movement which encourages us all to talk more openly about mental health. The aim of the movement is to change negative attitudes and behaviours towards people experiencing mental health problems. The national Time to Change site has ideas and resources to help people, of all ages, get involved. Many of the resources are free to download.

Visit the Time to Change website

The Stamp Out Stigma campaign aims to put an end to stigma relating to mental health problems and learning disabilities. The campaign’s work focuses on a number of key areas: 

• Enabling people, with lived experience of mental health stigma, to share their stories.
• Myth-busting common misconceptions about mental health conditions every month.
• Helping schools to raise awareness of mental health and learning disability stigma.

On the “schools’ resources” page you can download lesson plans for primary schools and secondary schools.

Visit Stamp Out Stigma's webpages

Hate crime is the term used when someone is the target of crime or hostility, because of prejudice based on certain personal characteristics that they have. To put it simply, hate crime is when someone bullies you, hurts you or makes you feel bad, and their action is motivated by one of the personal characteristics below:

• disability (this would include mental health problems)
• gender identity
• race
• religion or faith
• sexual orientation

There are many different forms of hate crime. Hate crime can be against a person, or against their property. It can include:

• physical attacks
• vandalism
• harassment
• threats
• swearing
• abusive remarks
• bullying
• spitting
• insulting gestures
• being ignored

Hate crime can also take place online and on social media.

Mate Crime
Mate crime can be a form of hate crime. Mate crime is when someone pretends to be your friend, but then does things to take advantage of you or hurt you. In this context a “mate” might be a friend, a family member, a supporter, a paid member staff or someone in another role. Mate crime could involve someone asking you for money frequently, making you feel uncomfortable, or making you do things you don’t want to do.

Reporting hate crime
If you have experienced or witnessed a hate crime, then it's important to report it, as it may help prevent a hate crime happening to someone else.

There are a number of ways you can report a hate crime, by phone, in person or online:

• By phone: you can call the Police on 101 (for non-emergencies), or in an emergency on 999.
  
  
• In person: you can go to a local police station to report a hate crime, or to a local community reporting centre. Community reporting centres are organisations in Warrington whose staff have agreed to listen to people's experiences of hate crime and pass the information on to the police. You can report a hate crime at these centres anonymously if you wish. A list of local community reporting centres can be found on the Cheshire Police website.
  
  
• Online: via the True Vision website
  This site explains the different ways in which you can report hate crimes, including online reporting. It also has links to organisations that can offer support and advice to anyone who's experienced a hate crime.

The impact of hate crime
Hate crimes can cause people significantly more psychological distress, than crimes which aren’t motivated by hate or prejudice. The violence and harassment, which can be part of hate crimes, often takes place over a long period of time. This can have negative physical and psychological effects on individuals and their families. People who have been subjected to hate crime may experience depression, anxiety, or anger as a result of what they have been through.

Getting support
It's important to let someone know if you're experiencing difficulties as a result of hate crime. Talk to your GP, a friend, a member of your family, or someone else you trust. Letting someone know how you're feeling is the first step to getting the help or support you need.

Cheshire CARES (Cope and Recover Enhanced Service)
This site was set up to provide advice and support to all victims of crime in Cheshire, including bereaved relatives and carers. There's a directory on the site listing a wide range of local and national services which can support victims of crime. The crime doesn’t have to be recent, or to have been reported to the police, for you to get support. You can find Warrington based services by using the search function on the site. 

Support services on Happy? OK? Sad?
You could also click the dropdown headings above to see the range of mental health support available to people in Warrington. You might want to start by looking under the general heading “Information about local and national services and support”.

If you can’t cope and need support urgently, then click on the orange dropdown heading “If you need help right now” above.