Find out what support services are available in your area
Food
If you are looking for support from a food bank you can go to our page on food banks across Shropshire.
Open table, surplus food from supermarkets. Pay as you feel. Their timetable can be found here.
Based at The Centre in Oswestry, the community kitchen uses surplus food to create delicious, nutritious meals. Volunteers collect good food from local stores and suppliers that would have otherwise gone to waste, they then share it with the local community.
Everyone is welcome to join, be it for tea and coffee, a delicious lunch or to pick up some bits and pieces from the food share table. It’s run on a pay as you feel basis, so donations are always welcome but not essential!
Ludlow, South
Meal delivery to vulnerable, community meal.
Every Tuesday and Thursday
15 Lower Galdeford, Ludlow, SY8 1RU
Money, debt & benefits
Advice and information on a range of issues, including benefits and welfare rights, consumer issues, employment and housing rights, legal issues, money and debt.
FAIRshare is a credit union and everyone who lives or works in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and South Staffordshire can be a member. They provide straightforward savings accounts and fair, manageable loans to their members. They are a local, ethical, ‘not-for-profit’ community bank or financial co-operative, owned by and run for our members.
Just Credit Union is a not-for-profit community bank owned by its members and managed for their mutual benefit. They provide a safe home for savings with access to affordable low cost loans. Membership is open to anyone who lives or works in Shropshire or Telford & Wrekin.
A registered charity providing people who live in Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire who are experiencing financial difficulties with a grant to the maximum value of £500, to pay for essential items and services, purchased wherever possible from local suppliers.
The Financial Inclusion Team offer a free service to Star housing customers. They are able to offer a full debt advice service, will complete a statement of your financial situation, can undertake a benefit check with you to ensure that you are receiving all the benefits to which you are entitled, and can help you by advising how to, pay your rent, keep bills low, to insure your home, and to save for a rainy day.
Check your benefits and income to see if you are eligible for any benefits.
Housing
Offer support and help whether you're homeless or worried about becoming homeless. They give advice based on your own circumstances. There are lots of services to help you stay in your current home. If that's not an option, they can help you to find a different home.
The Ark is a day centre for homeless people, providing: housing support and advice, basic facilities for street homeless, benefits and employment advice, health and addiction services, and support for lonely and vulnerable people.
To access a referral is needed.
Now part of The Wrekin Housing Group. They provide advice for people looking for somewhere to live, support for people who are homeless, advice on you housing rights, support for tenants in rented housing, advice and a leasing service for private landlords, and mediation
Offer housing support and signposting, and have a bank of landlords who rent through them. Operate a waiting list procedure. Those in need of a home have a telephone assessment with a housing specialist and are then placed on a waiting list for an appropriate sized property. Work alongside other housing specialists, such as Shropshire Council, to signpost and support people to access appropriate accommodation.
Shelter offers advice and support services one-to-one, personalised help with housing issues and homelessness. On their website, you can find expert information about everything from reclaiming your deposit to applying as homeless, or speak to an adviser over webchat. Their free emergency helpline is open 365 days a year to answer calls from anyone struggling with a housing issue or homelessness.
0808 800 4444 (emergency helpline)
The Early Help Front Door Service is a single point of contact for partner agencies, children, young people and their families, focused on making sure that the right support is put in place as soon as it is needed.
Children and Families
Shropshire Domestic Abuse Service
Advice and support for anyone suffering domestic abuse or if you're worried about someone who is.
West Mercia Women's Aid
The range of services includes: Specialist domestic abuse helpline which is staffed 24/7, refuges for women and children, and safe satellite accommodation, one-to-one support for people living in the local community, specialist safety advice and advocacy by Independent Domestic Violence Advisors, recovery and empowerment group programmes, advice and support for male victims.
Early Help
Mental health & addiction
NHS Crisis Mental Health Team
Helpline for urgent Mental Health Crises.
Telephone support, advice, and triage.
Shropshire Mind
Shropshire Mind’s main objective is to empower anyone experiencing a mental health challenge. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding of mental ill-health in Shropshire, making sure that the people in need of support are heard.
Address: Shropshire MHS, Suites 3 and 4, Observer House, Holywell Street, Shrewsbury, SY2 6BL
We Are With You
Free and confidential support for people experiencing drug and alcohol issues.
Needle and syringe service available.
Also there for people who may be worried about drug and alcohol issues of friends and family.
Shropshire IASS
Provide information, advice and support to parents and carers of children aged 0 to 25, and young people aged 16 to 25 who have, or may have, special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
Disabilities
A4U
A4U works to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities and/or long term conditions, their families and carers in Shropshire and its Borders.
A4U is a registered charity and Disabled Persons Led Organisation providing support to empower people with disabilities of all ages, their families and carers. They help people to understand their options, make informed decisions and take action to support independent living.
Omega is a charity helping to keep people connected and living well in later life. They prioritise isolated clients who are struggling without supportive people around them.
They offer Chatterbox, a free telephone befriending service and Letterbox, a free penpal befriending service.
SAND
SAND is a community organisation whose goal is to improve the experiences and increase the expectations of LGBT+ people as they age in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin.
Older People
Age UK Shropshire
Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin is an independent local charity. They've been working in the local community to help older people for 70 years. With over 50 dedicated staff and over 800 volunteers helping us to deliver services and activities for older people in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.
Omega
National Careers Service
Provide careers information, advice and guidance. Can help you make decisions at all stages in your career.
TUC: Find a union
You have a legal right to join a union and it is illegal for an employer to disadvantage you because you are a union member.
Generally unions can’t help people with a problem that happened before they joined the union.
Employment
Job Centre Plus
Combined jobsearch and benefits service for people of working age. Personal advisers assist with jobsearch activities and benefits claims. Access to Jobpoint terminals for information on job vacancies.
Shrewsbury Address: Princess House, 17-19 The Square, Shrewsbury, SY1 1YA
Whitchurch Address: Green End Parade, Whitchurch, SY13 1AG
Market Drayton Address: South Ring, 51 Stafford St, Market Drayton, TF9 1JF
Bridgnorth Address: Severn Street, Low Town, Bridgnorth, WV15 6BP
Landau
Landau is a supported employment and training charity that transform over 800 lives a year across the West Midlands by providing routes to employment, access to learning, social enterprise help and support for personal growth.
Address (by appointment only): Units 8-10 Glovers, Meadow Business Park, Maesbury Road Industrial Estate, Oswestry, SY10 8NH
Enable
Highly experienced Employment Officers support and advise people with disabilities or mental health needs to find work suited to their interests and skills. This allows them to assist people in their efforts to achieve sustainable employment in mainstream competitive jobs.
Offices in Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Telford, Bridgnorth, and Whitchurch
Transport
Shropshire Cycle Hub
Sells donated and refurbished bikes at an affordable price, bike servicing offered at reasonable price, and offers cycling courses.
Works in Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Wellington.