Useful Information

The following information may be of interest to you, but it has not been produced by VASL and we are not responsible for the contents.

Young Carers

HCYC – provides fortnightly groups during term time and special events during the school holidays to support young people in Harborough District aged 11-18 years whose lives are affected by caring for a member of their family. info@hcyc.org.uk
Sibs – a national charity which supports children, young people and adults with disabled siblings.

NHS Know your rights as a young carers

Carers Trust

Mental Health.

 Richmond Fellowship-Life Links Service, a specialist Mental Health Charity provides support for people in Harborough, Blaby and Oadby & Wigston Districts. The service works with individuals already living in their own homes. They offer information, advice and navigation services to people looking for local support, and 1:1 community recovery support for people suffering with a mental health problem. Holding a recovery focus, community recovery support aims to empower people so they can more readily manage their mental health and live successfully in the community.
Tel: 0800 0234 575
Email: leicestershire.lifelinks@richmondfellowship.org.uk

Crisis Cafes are part of Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust’s local support for people who need immediate help with their mental health. The cafes are drop in centres for anyone to come and talk to us about their mental health – no appointment needed. We have supportive, trained staff who can listen and provide the practical support you need. There will eventually be 25 cafes serving local communities across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. details of venues and timings are on the website

For Urgent support with your mental health.

  • Phone 999 –  If you need urgent help with mental health or you think someone might be in danger.
  • Phone 111 – telephone the NHS 111 service available 24 hours a day to find out what other help is available for a mental health crisis.
  • Go to either the Leicester Royal Infirmary Urgent Care Centre or the Loughborough Urgent Care Centre.
  • Samaritans – 116 123 – 24hr free phone line

Older people and those with physical disabilities

Harborough Lifeline run a service that may be of interest to you

They offer an emergency alarm service for anyone who feels vulnerable or alone, whatever their age or needs. Customers may include:

  • Those with physical disabilities
  • Those with learning difficulties
  • Those who live alone
  • Those with Sensory Impairment
  • Those with limited mobility or those who are at risk of falling
  • Anyone who may feel alone or vulnerable for any reason.

A lifeline needn’t be a permanent arrangement. Sometimes people may only require the service for a few months as additional support at a particularly difficult time, such as during an illness or following an operation or discharge from hospital.

Call them on 01858 464499 or email at lifeline@harborough.gov.uk

FaME: Falls Management Exercise Programme

What is it?

A 24 week exercise programme designed to help individuals increase their strength and balance and therefore reduce the likelihood of falling. The programme is a self-referral.

Click here for more information

Equipment, home adaptations and assistive technology

Leicestershire County Council provide information on a wide variety of equipment and technology, such as grab rails, bed raisers and alarms to help you stay as safe and independent as possible.

Click here for more information

Healthy Harborough

The Healthy Harborough partnership is a collection of partners who deliver health related services across the district. They aim to provide access to local health and wellbeing opportunities to residents, throughout all stages of their life.

Click here for more information

Help Us Help You

As we age, it becomes increasingly important to take care of ourselves to prevent us from becoming unwell, particularly over the winter. Advice is given about keeping warm; preventing slips, trips and falls and generally staying healthy.

Click here for more information

Independent Age

Independent Age has a very wide selection of fact sheets and booklets covering areas such as choosing a care home, bereavement and reducing loneliness.

Click here for more information

Friends against Scams

Scams affect the lives of millions of people across the UK. People who are scammed often experience shame and social isolation as a result.

Friends Against Scams is a National Trading Standards (NTS) initiative, which aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams by empowering communities to “Take a Stand Against Scams”.

Friends Against Scams has been created to tackle the lack of scam awareness by providing information about scams and those who fall victim to them. This information enables communities and organisations to understand scams, talk about them and cascade messages about prevention and protection throughout communities.

Friends Against Scams encourages communities and organisations to take the knowledge learnt and turn it into action.
Anybody can join Friends Against Scams and make a difference in their own way.

Click here for more information