I’d like to speak with someone about how I am feeling

Support is there for you now, if you need it.

A good place to start is calling the Derbyshire Mental Health support line on 0300 790 0596 (seven days a week, 9am to midnight – low cost number). It's staffed by mental health professionals and is for all ages. They will be able to signpost you to further support options, suited to your needs at this time.

You can also ring the Derbyshire Recovery and Peer Support Service which has an emotional care helpline. Phone 01773 734 989, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

You may already know that you would like talking therapy. If so, you can self-refer to local Talking Therapy services (also known as IAPT services). They can provide evidence-based support for you to manage difficulties such as anxiety, panic and low mood.

For befriending, please contact your local CVS via their email addresses below:

• High Peak - hello@highpeakcvs.org.uk
• Dales - enquiries@ddcvs.org.uk
• Bolsover - bolsovertogether@bcvs.org.uk
• Chesterfield/North East Derbyshire - response@dva.org.uk
• Erewash - stella@erewashcvs.org.uk
• Amber Valley- admin@avcvs.org
• South Derbyshire - volunteer@sdcvs.org.uk

There are lots of national organisations and charities offering support online, via text or phone at this time. Some are even running webinars on specific mental health difficulties. Please note some of the phone lines will charge.  

• MIND runs a supportive online community called Elefriends
• Silver Line offers a free 24-hour freephone helpline for older adults 
• CALM is a national movement against suicide and they have a helpline and webchat
• For text support you can contact SHOUT by texting 85258
• The Samaritans can be contacted 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• To speak with someone about domestic abuse, please click here for an up-to-date list of local support options
• OCD Action are the UK’s largest OCD charity and are running Skype and phone support groups for those whose OCD has been exacerbated by the current situation
• Anxiety UK offer a text support and phoneline service, for more details visit their website
• For support with an eating disorder, BEAT are offering a helpline and a one-to-one webchat
• For free support with gambling issues you can contact Gam Care

We know that many of you are managing a long-term condition through this time. If you feel like you need a little more emotional support at this time, you may want to consider contacting some of the specialist organisations and charities below. Many have helplines (costs of calls may vary), and tailored web resources for you at this time. 

• Heart Helpline: Call the British Heart Foundation ‘heart helpline’ on 0300 330 3311 to speak to cardiac nurses and information support officers
• Macmillan Support Line: The Macmillan Support Line offers support to people living with cancer and their loved ones, call 0808 808 00 00
• Marie Curie Support Line: The Marie Curie Support Line provides practical or clinical information and emotional support if you're living with or caring for someone who has a terminal illness, call free on 0800 090 2309
• Motor Neurone Disease Association Connect Helpline: Call 0808 802 6262
• Parkinson's UK Helpline is a free and confidential service providing support to anyone affected by Parkinson's, phone: 0808 800 0303
• Dementia Connect support line: If you need dementia support, information, support and advice call the Alzheimer’s Society on 0333 150 3456.

There are also a number of organisations providing support and advice to children, young people, and parent/carers around a range of issues at this time:

Local support options

You or your child can call the Derbyshire Mental Health support line on 0300 790 0596 (seven days a week, 9am to midnight – low cost number). It's staffed by mental health professionals, and provides mental health support for Derbyshire residents of all ages. They will be able to signpost you and your family to further support options, suited to your needs at this time.

You can also access free online counselling, in Derby and Derbyshire:

• Kooth is for children and young people aged 11 to 18 years, and up to 25 years for children in care 
• And for parents and carers (whose children are under 18 years) there’s Qwell

National support options

• Childline - is a national organisation supporting children and young people around a range of issues. If you're under 19 you can confidentially call, email or chat online about any problem big or small. Freephone 24-hour helpline: 0800 1111. Sign up for a childline account on the website to be able to message a counsellor anytime without using your email address.
• The calm zone section of the Childline website offers advice, tips and activities to help reduce anxiety and improve emotional wellbeing.
• Young Minds - website offering resources and support for young people (and their parents/carers)  – around anxiety, mental health issues, grief and bereavement.
• Young Minds Crisis Messenger provides free, 24/7 crisis support across the UK if you are experiencing a mental health crisis - just text YM to 85258. All texts are answered by trained volunteers, with support from experienced clinical supervisors. Texts are free from EE, O2, Vodafone, 3, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile and Telecom Plus
• The Mix - is a UK support service for young people under 25. Range of services from mental health to money, from homelessness to finding a job, from break-ups to drugs. Online, social or free, confidential helpline 0808 808 4994 (1pm to 11pm daily).

For more information on local and national support

Visit this Derbyshire wellbeing website which is regularly updated - you will find up-to-date information on support for the whole family.

Bereavement support for children

There are a number of organisations providing support for children experiencing bereavement, or with family members who have a terminal and or life-limiting illness, including:  

• Winston’s Wish – a national charity providing support to children and young people after the death of a parent or sibling. Also advice to supporting adults. Winston’s Wish have a freephone national helpline - 08088 020 021. They also have an online chat facility open Monday to Friday, 10am-1pm.
• Cruse Bereavement Care: Hope - website, helpline and other support for young people aged 12-18 following a bereavement 0808 808 1677. Also provide email and online support.
• Childhood bereavement network - is the hub for those working with bereaved children, young people and their families across the UK.

Support for adults

There are a number of organisations providing support for those experiencing bereavement, terminal and or life-limiting illness and their families, including:   

Tree Tops Hospice - offers support to people affected by a terminal illness or affected by bereavement (south Derbyshire only). Call 0115 949 6944. 

Cruse Bereavement Care - a national charity providing bereavement support for both adults and children (see children’s section for more information). The Cruse Bereavement Care freephone national helpline - 0808 808 1677 - is staffed by trained bereavement volunteers, who offer emotional support to anyone affected by bereavement. The helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9.30am-5pm (excluding bank holidays), with extended hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, when they’re open until 8pm.

Griefchat - is a safe space for grieving or bereaved people to be able to share their story, explore their feelings and be supported by a qualified bereavement counsellor. In addition to this, GriefChat can help bereaved people to consider if they need additional support and where to get this from. Using GriefChat is free of charge and is open Monday to Friday, 9am-9pm to grieving or bereaved people.

What’s Your Grief – is an organisation providing support and information to those experiencing grief and loss. They have recently added advice and support around what you can do when you can’t be with someone who is sick or dying, this may be particularly useful given the current restrictions to visiting friends and family in hospitals, hospices and other care settings. 

Macmillan Support Line - offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. Telephone helpline, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, on 0808 808 00 00. Online chat – Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.

Sue Ryder Online Community - a national charity providing palliative, neurological and bereavement support. If someone you love is dying or has died, the Online Community is a place to share experiences, get things off your chest, ask questions and chat to people who understand.

Marie Curie – provide care and support for people living with any terminal illness, and their families. They offer a wide range of support. Telephone support: 0800 090 2309.

Nelson’s Journey - is an organisation which provides support for bereaved children. They have put this information together based on recent announcements from the Government and advice from the National Association of Funeral Directors. Please bear in mind that funeral arrangements may have to change again in the future as the Government’s response to Covid-19 develops. This guidance is aimed at parents/carers of children and young people who have experienced a recent death and who may need some support in helping their child at this very challenging time.

Support for older children and young people

There are a number of organisations providing support for children experiencing bereavement, or with family members who have a terminal and or life limiting illness, including:  

Winstons Wish – a national charity providing support to children and young people after the death of a parent or sibling. Also advice to supporting adults. Winstons Wish have a freephone national helpline - 08088 020 021. They also have an online chat facility open Monday to Friday, 10am-1pm.

Cruse Bereavement Care: Hope - website, helpline and other support for young people aged 12-18 following a bereavement 0808 808 1677. Also provide email and online support.

Childhood Bereavement Network – This is a hub for those working with bereaved children, young people and their families across the UK.
 

There are also a number of organisations providing support and advice to children and young people around a range of issues, including anxiety and depression and more recently the impact of Covid-19.  

Child line - is a national organisation supporting children and young people around a range of issues. If you're under 19 you can confidentially call, email or chat online about any problem big or small. Freephone 24-hour helpline 0800 1111. Sign up for a childline account on the website to be able to message a counsellor anytime without using your email address. The Calm zone section of the Child line website offers advice, tips and activities to help reduce anxiety and improve emotional well-being.

Young Minds - website offering resources and support for young people (and their parents/carers)  – around anxiety, mental health issues, grief and bereavement.

Young Minds Crisis Messenger provides free, 24/7 crisis support across the UK if you are experiencing a mental health crisis - just text YM to 85258. All texts are answered by trained volunteers, with support from experienced clinical supervisors. Texts are free from EE, O2, Vodafone, 3, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile and Telecom Plus. 

The Mix - is a UK support service for young people under 25. Range of services from mental health to money, from homelessness to finding a job, from break-ups to drugs. Online, social or free, confidential helpline 0808 808 4994 (1pm to 11pm daily).