Community Connections
Our Community Connections services offers short term emotional and practical support when it is needed most. The services are led by our Community Connections Coordinator, with a team of skilled volunteers who have a wealth of experience in the NHS, and the voluntary and community sector.
The team are passionate about providing a reliable, confidential and high quality service to those who struggle with being socially isolated. People are typically referred to CCP by adult social care and NHS professionals, or by neighbours and relatives. Self-referrals can also be made directly by people who need support.
Christchurch Angels
Our Christchurch Angels scheme offers short-term enabling support to people who don't have a network of family or friends available to help them build a social network in times of crisis or illness. We support various lunch clubs, run Coffee Connection mornings at three different housing association facilities, and offer one-to-one support from volunteers to encourage people to reconnect with their local community.
The service is available to people in the BH23 area.
​
​
​
​
​
Helpful neighbours
Our Helpful Neighbours service provides a volunteer to do one-off practical tasks, from changing a light bulb to helping with form filling. These small acts can make a big difference, and help clients to live independently for as long as they can.
A small donation is requested to cover our volunteers’ travel costs, or if more specialised support is needed.
​
Find out more about how to access Helpful Neighbours support below.
Coffee Connections
Our Coffee Connections project brings together members of the community at three different housing association facilities. The convivial coffee and cake mornings are relaxed and friendly events and offer one-to-one support from volunteers to encourage people to reconnect with their local community.
The service is available to people in the BH23 area.
​
​
​
​
​
What can Christchurch Angels and Helpful Neighbours help with?
These services can help with:
​
-
Organising transport to a local weekly lunch club or support/social group
-
Help and support to use local facilities, resources etc
-
Accompanying someone the first few times of joining new social activities
-
Signposting to other services/activities
-
Help with correspondence and paperwork
-
Support with form filling
-
One-to-one activities to support physical and mental functions such as scrabble, art and craft, going for a walk
-
Putting up a blind or changing a lightbulb
-
Taking rubbish to the tip.
Christchurch Angels/Helpful Neighbours do not do personal care or housework.
​
​
How does it work?​
​
Our Community Connections Coordinator will carry out an initial assessment and then, with the client, formulate a plan. This may in some circumstances involve putting in a volunteer Angel for a limited period, who will meet one-to-one with a client to formulate a plan to connect them to a lunch club or other activity, depending on their needs and preferences.
​
This may also involve support from our transport services.
​
​
Who can access these services?
​
The criteria for referral are:
-
Must live alone without nearby family and friends who can support them
-
Must be 18+
-
Must be suitable for a volunteer
-
Needs low-level support for a couple of months or one-off task.
Whilst most referrals come via professionals working with vulnerable people, anyone can refer direct by calling or emailing us. Call us on 07443 476798 or email Christchurchangels@gmail.com ​
​
​
