• Food
• Furniture
• Money/debt management
• Clothing/ Uniform – uniform store, Matalan, Asda, Tesco
• Childcare
• Housing/welfare benefits
• Energy
• Period poverty
• Warm Spaces
In school support
- advice for Plymouth Community Homes tenants on how to get ready for winter and save money on fuel bills
https://plymouthenergycommunity.com/ - Empowering our community to create
a fair, affordable, zero carbon energy system with local people at its heart
Many energy providers have pots of money available to help assist those in hardship with the cost of their fuel bills
British Gas Energy Trust –
click here
EDF –
click here
Scottish Power (applications now closed but useful resources available) –
click here
EON (can also be used towards the cost of replacing broken white goods with energy efficient models) –
click here
Shell Energy –
click hereOVO –
click here
Octopus –
click here
Housing/Welfare Benefits
https://www.gov.uk/cost-of-living - Cost of Living Support; check what assistance you may be entitled to on the government website
https://www.pathdevon.org/-Aiming to relieve poverty by providing assistance to those in housing need. This can include assisting with a deposit for private sector rental property.
https://buttleuk.org/apply-for-a-grant/-Grants for children who have recently been impacted by crisis to assist with activities and items. Applications must be made by a support worker.
Money/Debt Advice and Management
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/council-tax-support - Council Tax Support; a means tested benefit which can reduce your annual Council Tax bill. You need to apply for this through Plymouth City Council and the amount of Council Tax Support you receive will be based on your circumstances.
https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/budget-and-debt-advice/debt-advice - Salvation Army (Whitleigh) free debt advice and can negotiate with your creditors to arrange repayment plans on your behalf.
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/ - Nationwide service; benefit entitlement calculators, grant search functions, money saving advice.
https://citizensadviceplymouth.org.uk/ - Plymouth Citizens Advice; vast range of advice and support including welfare benefit entitlement queries, financial hardship advice, utilities support.
https://www.westcountry.org.uk/ - Westcountry Savings and Loans. This has replaced City of Plymouth Credit Union. It provides access to savings accounts and competitively priced loans as well as providing financial wellbeing information and advice. They also do a school uniform loan which is far more competitive than borrowing money from a traditional doorstep lender.
https://www.stepchange.org/ - StepChange; free debt advice and debt management plan arrangements
https://capuk.org/ - Christians Against Poverty; free debt advice as well as budgeting skills and other financial services.
https://www.stoploansharks.co.uk/who-we-are/ - Information about loansharks and preventing financial exploitation. Run by the Illegal Money Lending Team, there is a wealth of resources as well as a confidential loan shark reporting facility.
Occupational Charities
There are several charities who are able to provide support and assistance to people in financial hardship if they meet certain criteria. These are usually a history of working in a specific industry.
https://www.ssafa.org.uk/get-help - SSAFA for Serving and Ex Armed Forces personnel. SSAFA can provide financial, practical and emotional support including housing advice and financial planning.
https://www.groceryaid.org.uk/get-help/ - Grocery Aid for people working within the Grocery Sector; provide practical, financial and emotional support to grocery people.
https://www.retailtrust.org.uk/financial-aid - Retail Trust for shop workers. We know that financial pressure can really affect our mental health. If you’re experiencing financial difficulties, worried about money because of a health condition (yours or a family member) or have an unexpected change in circumstances we may be able to help financially.
https://www.hospitalityaction.org.uk/get-help/ - Hospitality Action for people who work in the hospitality sector or have spent five years of their career working within this sector. Financial, practical and emotional support available.
https://rcnfoundation.rcn.org.uk/About-us - Royal College of Nursing for every member of the nursing team caring for patients. Financial, practical and emotional support as well as information about educational grant funding for career development.
If you have rent or mortgage arrears we would strongly recommend talking to your landlord or bank to discuss your circumstances and see what assistance can be offered.
Food
https://northplymouth.foodbank.org.uk/-North Plymouth Foodbank; a referral is required from a professional agencies. These include but aren’t limited to Children and Families Service/Multi Agency Support Team (MAST), Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Social Services, Family Intervention Project (The Beacon), Hamoaze House, Improving Lives Plymouth, Livewell, Shelter Devon, Children’s Social Care, Plymouth Information, Advice and Support for SEND, Health Visitors, Tamar View Community Centre, Homestart, Children’s Centres, School Parent Support Advisors, The British Legion, Housing Agencies, Exeter St and Devonport Job Centre.
https://www.fourgreenscommunitytrust.co.uk/food-bank - Four Greens Community Trust Food Bank Whitleigh Green; referrals from churches, Plymouth City Council, The Salvation Army, Barnardos, Livewell and local organisations such as Whitleigh Big Local, The Phoenix Centre and Plymouth Community Homes. See poster at the bottom of this document re Community Larder Four Green Community Trust also have a community larder every Thursday from 14:00 – 17:00 where you can get 15 items for £3.00, 10 items for £2.00 or 5 items for £1.00 – bring your own bag and proceed from this will be ploughed back in to the community larder.
https://fareshare.org.uk/getting-food/ - Redistribute surplus food to charities and community groups. A new Foodbank will be opening in Derriford Church, Powisland Drive, further info to follow.
- Sainsbury’s Café; Kids hot meal for £1 with any adult meal purchase priced £5.20 or over
Period Poverty
We have a supply of sanitary towels and tampons, students are able to request these at Pastoral, Admin Reception or Student Reception. A supply has also been placed in the small Sixth Form meeting room (next to E101) for Sixth Form students to access.
Morrisons – Will provide you with a small parcel containing sanitary towels. You need to ask ‘for a package for Sandy’.
Furniture/White Goods
https://www.plymouthoctopus.org/the-plymouth-charity-furnishing-a-future/- Affordable good quality furniture and appliances.
https://wavelength.org.uk/ - provide radios, televisions and tablets to isolated and lonely people living in poverty
https://www.glasspool.org.uk/ - one off grants to help with expenses like white goods, beds, bedding, children’s clothing and baby needs
Clothing/School Uniform
We have asked for donations of outgrown coats for Pastoral to distribute to students in need of a warm winter jacket. We would also always welcome any donations of outgrown uniform, especially new style skirts and jumpers!
https://uniformstoreplymouth.co.uk/ - Uniform Store Plymouth; a free service to local families needing school uniform. Based on New George Street and currently open 10am – 1pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
https://www.westcountry.org.uk/ - Access to a competitively rated school uniform loan.
https://grants-search.turn2us.org.uk/grant/the-albert-casanova-ballard-deceased-trust-13834 - Albert Casanova Ballard (deceased) Trust; annual grant applications for boys aged 11 – 16 attending schools in Plymouth. This is to assist with the cost of buying new school uniform and is awarded once a year in the summer. The Trust prioritises those most in need.
https://www.nct.org.uk/local-activities-meet-ups/plymouth-and-west-devon/baby-bundles - NCT - Our Baby Bundles project is designed to support pregnant women and new families in difficult circumstances. We offer emergency packs of donated baby basics, including toiletries, clothes and equipment to vulnerable women and families in the Plymouth area.
Warm Spaces
Many local places are offering themselves up as community Warm Spaces, a place where you can go and sit in the warm, usually with hot drinks and wifi available. Here is a list of local Warm Places but a full list is available at https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/warm-welcoming-spaces and will be updated as more places come onboard.
https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/warm-welcoming-spaces - Southway Library; Monday: 9am - 6pm, Tuesday: 9am - 6pm, Friday: 9am - 6pm, Saturday: 10am - 1pm. Crownhill Library; Monday: 9am - 6pm, Wednesday: 9am - 6pm, Friday: 9am - 6pm, Saturday: 10am - 1pm
Derriford Church, Powisland Drive, Plymouth – Warm Wednesdays; 14:00 – 16:15. Warm space with crafts, books, games and hot drinks. More info from Jane Bealey on 07543 973 409
St Chad's Church, Whitleigh Green, PL5 4DD: Open 11:00 - 13:00 on Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays - 11:00 - 15:00 on Thursdays - and for our informal church gathering 11:30 - 13:00 Sundays. We provide hot drinks, cosy seating and free wifi. Any other assistance needed pls call Rob, the vicar, on 07890262863
http://www.crownhillmethodist.org.uk/joom25/ - Crownhill Methodist Church, Monday - Thursday 10.30am - 12.00pm
St Aidan’s Church, 42 West Malling Avenue, Ernesettle, Plymouth - Tuesdays 9am - 2pm
https://www.st-budeaux-church.co.uk/hall.html - St Budeaux Community Church Hall, The Green, Crownhill Road, Wednesday: 1.30pm to 4pm, Thursday: 9am to 10.30am
Health and Wellbeing
https://arterne.com/ - Arterne CIC focussing on Healthy Body: Healthy Mind including mental health support, coaching and mentoring and Operation Snow – a Christmas Dinner club to prevent loneliness and sadness on Christmas Day.
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