The Wokingham Charity and Community Hub, the first of its kind in the Wokingham Borough, has launched this week (1 December).
Initially the hub, which is located at Waterford House in Wokingham town centre, will open for appointments only. Appointments can be booked by calling (0118) 228 0480 or emailing: [email protected] from 8 December.
It will fully open its doors in the new year for members of the public to drop-in and seek help, advice and support. It is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Six charities have moved into the hub:
- Involve (which is managing the hub)
- Cranstoun Wokingham
- Home Start Wokingham District
- Health Watch Wokingham Borough
- The Link Visiting Scheme
- Mind in Berkshire
And local charities CLASP and Promise Inclusion (Pinc) will move in during December, and Wokingham Volunteer Centre and Wokingham Foodbank will be joining in the new year. Citizen’s Advice Wokingham are already located at Waterford House on the second floor and are also part of the hub.
Waterford House has been reconfigured to create suitable office, breakout and meeting room space for the voluntary, charity and community organisations moving into the building. This has included new carpets, ceilings and fittings and improved ventilation to some rooms in response to Covid-19 best practice.
As well as contacting the Hub direct, you can also continue to contact the charities in the usual way too:
- Cranstoun Wokingham – An integrated domestic abuse service that supports victims and children and delivers programmes that tackle the root cause of perpetrator behaviour. Telephone: (0118) 402 1921 / email: [email protected]
- Citizen’s Advice Wokingham – offers free, confidential, impartial and independent advice and information to anyone living or working in Wokingham borough.
- Telephone: 0808 278 7958 / email: [email protected]
- Home Start Wokingham District – a local community network of trained volunteers and expert support helping families with young children through their challenging times. Telephone: (0118) 98 88025 / email: [email protected]
- Healthwatch Wokingham Borough – is the independent champion for people who use health and social care services. Telephone: (0118) 418 1418 / email: [email protected]
- Involve – helps to support other charities and community groups throughout Bracknell Forest, Wokingham Borough and the surrounding areas. Telephone (01344) 304404 / email: [email protected]
- The Link Visiting Scheme – a charity dedicated to reducing loneliness in Wokingham Borough. Telephone: (0118) 979 8019 / email: [email protected]
- Mind in Berkshire – the Wokingham Wellbeing Service helps borough residents suffering from mental health issues, including anxiety, isolation and stress. It is available through all Wokingham Borough GP practices. To seek support speak to your GP practice and ask for a referral to the service, alternatively residents can fill out a self-referral form online. Email: [email protected]
Moving into the hub during December are:
- CLASP – a self-advocacy group for people with learning disabilities in the Wokingham Borough. Telephone: (0118) 979 6364 / email: [email protected]
- Promise Inclusion (Pinc) – Supporting people with learning disabilities and/or autism, their carers and families. Telephone: 0300 777 8539 / email: [email protected]
Moving into the hub during January are:
- Wokingham Foodbank – an organisation that exists to provide help to those in need in Wokingham including the supply of food (all food parcels require a referral) and, where appropriate, help with heating and lighting. Telephone: 07926 524605 / email: [email protected] / Members of the public will be able to collect food parcels from February from the Wokingham Charity and Community Hub. Until then, clients should continue to visit the charity’s premises on Broad Street Walk in Wokingham
- Wokingham Volunteer Centre – Offers a free volunteer recruitment and matching service across the Wokingham Borough area. It also runs an employer supported volunteering scheme to get local companies and businesses based within Wokingham Borough involved in volunteering as well as the community schemes Green ‘n’ Tidy scheme and Wokingham Transport Scheme. Telephone: (0118) 977 0749 / email: [email protected]