Support & Advice Services

Citizens Advice
(East Dorset and Purbeck)

Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck is an independent charity that provides free, confidential and impartial advice and support. The goal is to help everyone find a way forward, whatever their problem.

There are offices in Wareham and Wimborne and have outreach centres across East Dorset and Purbeck and are part of the Citizens Advice network in Dorset and across England and Wales.

The Mobile Advice Bus will soon be on the road (Spring time) visiting rural locations in the East Dorset and Purbeck area, reaching many more residents when help is needed at this difficult time.

• Swanage Library - Wednesday 10am-12pm (except first Wednesday of the month)
• Herston Village Hall, Swanage – Monday 10am-12pm
• Wareham Citizens Advice – Tuesday & Thursday, 10am-12pm
• Lytchett Matravers Library - Friday 10am-12pm
• Lytchett Minster & Upton Town Council – Tuesday 10am-12pm
• Upton Library – Wednesday 2pm-4pm
• Wimborne Citizens Advice - Monday & Wednesday, 10am-12pm
• Ferndown Library - Tuesday & Friday, 10am-2pm
• The Centre, Barns Road, Ferndown - Thursday, 10am-2pm

West Moors SHOULD be Tues 1-3pm
Citizens Advice is coming to you!!!

For more information visit www.edpcitizensadvice.org.uk or to speak to an adviser, call the Dorset Adviceline Freephone 0800 144 8848, 10am-4pm weekdays.

Age UK (Bournemouth Poole and East Dorset)

Age UK Bournemouth, Poole & East Dorset offers a free and confidential information and advice service for older people, their families and carers.

You can access our Information and Advice Service in a number of ways.
By phone:
01202 530530 Monday - Friday 10am - 3:45pm.
By email: enquiries@ageukbped.org.uk

By appointment only at the offices at
700 Wimborne Road, Bournemouth BH9 2EG and 22 Victoria Road, Ferndown, BH22 9HZ (specific days only).

Unfortunately they are not available for walk-ins but are happy to deal with enquiries face to face via zoom or by a pre-booked appointment at one of the offices or clinics.

They offer an Attendance Allowance form completion service which can be done face to face, over the phone or via zoom.
These are by appointment only and cost £20.
If you require this service please contact the welfare benefits team on 01202 530530
 

Dorset Community Transport Directory

Find your Local Community Transport team 

maintained by Dorset Council, to get you where you need to be and help you to make essential journeys to places like the hospital, doctors, dentists, opticians and some offer transport for shopping and social trips.

Many of these schemes are only in existence thanks to the generosity and support of local volunteers.

If you or somebody you know is interested in becoming a volunteer driver or organiser, please contact your local scheme to discuss how you might be able to help them.

 

SEDCAT (South East Dorset Community Accessible Transport) is a charity dedicated to meeting the transport needs of people with mobility issues to prevent social isolation and loneliness. You can phone them on 01202 534 027

Using minibuses, they take people from their homes to shopping areas and on outings. A community car scheme using volunteer drivers helps people get to appointments and a Shopmobility scheme hires out scooters, powered and manual wheelchairs.

Linking Dorset is a partnership led by PramaLife and facilitated by Morebus
It provides a joined-up way of signposting people to transport schemes available, and provides advice on an array of transport opportunities, including local bus services, community-based minibus schemes, community car schemes, dial-a-ride etc.

The telephone number is: 01202 586 055
The advice line is only open between 10am and 2pm on weekdays (not Public Holidays). You can contact local schemes themselves for further information and to make a booking where required.

 

Good Neighbour Scheme

The Good Neighbour scheme is a voluntary organisation which has been relaunched through Prama and covers West Moors, Ferndown and Wimborne.

The aim is to help people with small one-off tasks they can no longer manage themselves.
A small donation is asked for to cover administration costs.

Jackie Stafford is the Good Neighbour Lead Co-ordinator.
Jackie explains: “These are small tasks where professional help is not needed, as our intention is not to take work away from the professional workforce. All our volunteers carry identity and are Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked which ensures they are trustworthy and can be relied on.”
Officially launched at the West Moors Group Practice in October 2017, the Good Neighbour scheme has keen volunteers on hand in West Moors with a variety of skills on offer.

The volunteers can help with a range of small tasks - here are a few examples of what they could do:

• Change a lightbulb • Fill out a form • Take rubbish to the tip • Post a letter • Walk a dog • Small sewing jobs
• Tune a television.

For more information, please call 01202 804003 or email: goodneighbours@prama.org.uk

Help and Care

Help and Care is a charity providing information, advice & support, for people and communities to live the lives they choose. They are able to provide information, advice and support to take control of your life, make decisions and find support that is appropriate.

You can also call them on 0300 111 3303,
Monday - Friday, 10-4pm

Dorset Education Advice Line (DEAL)

There is a new campaign to raise awareness of the DEAL amongst the Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) community across Dorset, to make even more residents aware of this free service.
DEAL Information leaflet

Family Information and Social Care Services

Dorset is blessed with a wealth of on-line services that can inform & advise on a wide range of family matters for all age groups and requirements. 

Dorset FIS is a free, impartial information service for parents and carers of children and young people aged up to 19, or up to 25 years for those with special educational needs or disability (SEND)

It is a central resource covering education & learning, early years & childcare, health & well-being and young peoples service. It is hosted on the Dorset Council web site, with a search facility to make it easy to find the help you need. Should you have difficulty with accessing the web site, they have a telephone number: 01305 221 066 (office hours only). 

 

For help specific to adults, regarding such topics as abuse, care & support, paying for care, health and well-being and much more, then use the Dorset Council: Care and support for adults web page.

For help specific to children & young people, such as schools, childcare, Special Educational Needs (SEN), concern about apparent abuse, activities and much more, then use the Dorset Council: Children and families web page.  
If you have difficulty accessing the links above, please call the contact point for the east Dorset area of Dorset Council: 01202 228 760, or the main switchboard for Dorset Council here: 01305 221 000.

 

 

The Petwyn, our village green.

Pinehurst Road shopping parade

The Library