Support during Covid-19

If you have had Coronavirus, COVID-19 or similar symptoms, please use the following link to access advice on post-infection wellbeing advice

Post COVID-19 information pack

Covid19 Westhoughton Assist Service (Facebook group with 1800+ members) run by Janet Colley, based at the Hub Westhoughton.

The group’s purpose is to help those self-isolating in Westhoughton particularly the elderly and vulnerable.

Volunteers can offer shopping, prescription collection, emergency food supplies for those with financial need, phone buddy.

All volunteers are DBS checked and patients can self-refer.

Contact the group on Facebook, Messenger, Text or Call Janet on 07817 170823.

Bolton Council Shielding Number – 01204 337221 –

open Mon-Friday 8.30 – 5.30pm and Saturday 9.30 – 1.30pm –

they will deliver shopping to vulnerable / elderly residents and collect / deliver medication.

The team are made up of Bolton Council employees and Volunteers.

Bolton Community and Voluntary Services (CVS) Number – 01204 546010

NHS Volunteers -

Goodsamapp.org – patient referral form for – Check in and chat,

Community Support (shopping meds), Patient transport, NHS transport (for NHS equipment).

Live form that alerts a Volunteer.

GPs, nurses, pharmacists and Social Prescribing Linkworkers can refer patients via a form on the App

Money skills – free advise with debt, homelessness prevention, mortgage and rent arreas, council tax and fuel arreas,

contact: Bolton Council Money Skills on 01204 331965 or email moneyadvice@bolton.gov.uk

Bolton Coronavirus Self-Isolation Support – run by Homeless Aid.

The Group can support those over the age of 65 who have no family support.

They can provide a free basic food parcel (no choices) which would be delivered.

Contact 07973 214603 / 07760 848980 or email info@homelessaid.co.uk Web homelessaid.co.uk

BCOM (Bolton Council of Mosques) –

offer shopping of a maximum 10 items and prescription delivery and a friendly phonecall to overcome loneliness for any age but specifically elderly or vulnerable people with no family support.

Contact 01204 363680 Option 6 or call / text 07935 196976.

Also can offer a basic food parcel for free to the most needy.

Senior Solutions – supporting adults in Westhoughton, Blackrod, Lostock and Over Hulton.

They have contacted all their existing customers and are supporting with phonecalls and shopping / medication if no family support,

contact 01942 335107.

Bolton Markets – Food hall remains open at this time

Stalls which deliver to Westhoughton:

Fruit & Veg – 07459547960 / 07535267376 / 0787648298

Meats – 07787833489 / 07947609208 / 07849293550 / 07596565400

Halal – 07454932574

Fish – 0790463168

Groceries – 07715371035 / 01204521944 / 07857213713

Deli – 07809336559 / 07702515792

Delivery service, Tuesday, Thursday, Fri & Sat 9am until 5pm

Takeaways –

Just Eat online – meals delivered.

The New Waggon and Horses – takeaways 8am -6pm includes breakfasts.

Menu online, ring 07383 258358 to enquire.

La Scala – 01942 815599 – take away

Asda, Tesco & Morrisons online shopping services or Click and Collect.

BAND –

still have capacity to take new referrals.

If you are worried or anxious please call 01204 380643 and leave a message (any age) or visit band@family-action.org.uk.

They are currently putting together activity packs around meditation, daily activity planning, looking after your wellbeing, activities for kids – ring to order one.

MHIST (Mental Health Independent Support) -

Dealing with enquiries, offering support and able to accept new members over the telephone

on 01204 527200 or email help@mhist.co.uk or text to 07800 000396.

is the UKs first 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks for anyone in crisis anytime –

text 85258 – website giveusashout.org

Silverline – aimed at people over 55.

Silverline operates a confidential free helpline

for older people across the UK, 24 / 7

0800 470 80 90.

Train, tram and bus timetables have been reduced to maintain links for key workers,

so check before you travel. Greater Manchester Travel

https://bustimes.org/localities/westhoughton

Star 401 Taxi Service –

still working as normal.

Number 01942 813388

Looking after yourself during this time

It's important to take care of your mind as well as your body while staying at home.

During this time, you may be bored, frustrated or lonely.

You may also feel low, worried, anxious, or be concerned about your health or that of those close to you.

Find guidance, advice and tips on how to maintain your mental wellbeing at the Every Mind Matters website

New digital services and online support have been launched for children and adults,

across Greater Manchester, so you don’t need to attend GP surgeries or hospital.

If you are experiencing mental health issues or struggling with the new social distancing and self-isolation restrictions then new support includes:

If you are having family disagreements or disputes during this difficult time,

Time2Talk offers free, confidential and impartial mediation interventions

to Bolton residents to improve relationships and to stop situations reaching crisis point.

Contact 01204 331965 or time2talk@bolton.gov.uk

Your physical health and wellbeing

It is vital that even as we follow government guidelines to combat coronavirus,

we also keep maintaining our physical health and wellbeing.

So alongside our daily outdoor exercise – be it a run, walk, bike ride etc.

we can introduce activities within the home that can help us keep well.

Below of some useful resources that can help us build indoor activities into our daily routine:

The NHS has a series of 10 minute work outs that can be done in the home and require no gym equipment.

They also have a wider range of workout videos for differing abilities and age groups as part of their ‘Fitness Studio Exercise Videos’

which cover aerobic and strength exercises as well as yoga and pilates workouts.

These include chair based exercises and have a 5 week ‘strength and flexibility’ programme available in podcast form.

For those with younger children (or adults with an undying love for Disney)

NHS Change for Life have a series of active ’10 minute shake-ups’ you can play based on movies such as Toy Story, Frozen and the Incredibles.

Coronavirus (COVID 19): list of online education resources for home education contains useful advice and education resources for children –

including resources about physical and emotional wellbeing.

It is not just about physical fitness however,

NHS Every Mind Matters has 12 top tips for things that we can do now to help us maintain our mental wellbeing

and cope with our feelings whilst we stay at home.

Beyond the NHS,

Joe Wicks has his daily workouts, and many gyms and fitness/wellbeing communities are also offering online workouts

through their websites, social media channels or YouTube channels

We understand that as the Coronavirus / COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions continue, many of our patients will be experiencing anxiety and stress reactions to this situation. In an attempt to try and alleviate some of this worry we are signposting below a number of websites that can offer useful advice on how to cope during this worrying time. Of course, if you do still have concerns and would prefer to speak to someone about this we do have appointments available with Sam, our Mental Health Practitioner. If you call 01942 812525 we can arrange this for you

Clic is a free online community here to support everyone with their mental health.

Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI) is a specialist clinical psychology service

Every Mind Matters – offer 10 tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus

NHS Mental Health apps

NHS Mental health helplines

We hope you find them useful, stay safe.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT - PRINTABLE FACE COVERING EXEMPTION CARDS

Mask Exemption Cards – Print & Wear

From 15 June 2020, it is the law that you must wear a face covering when travelling in England on a bus, coach, train, taxi or tram.

However, some people don’t have to wear a face covering including for health, age or equality reasons. You do not need to wear a face covering if you have a reasonable excuse not to. Reasonable excuses include:

not being able to put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability
if putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress
if you are travelling with or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading to communicate (note – there are lip-reading masks available, with clear panels that make the lips visible)
to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to yourself or others
to take medication

Here are some links to sources of printable face mask exemption cards...

Printable face mask exemption cards (specific reasons)

First Transport printable face mask exemption cards (generic reasons)

KeepSafe website – printable face mask exemption cards (fairly generic) plus lots of other plain and simple COVID-19 guidance factsheets – including in other languages

Older people are amongst the most vulnerable to coronavirus and lockdown and stand to gain the most. However, studies have shown that 35% of older people do not have access to the internet or smart phone. If you have a friend or family member who is in this group, support them to get online and learn how to use the internet. In a pandemic, access to internet and information can save lives. Below we show you how.

Support with getting a family member online:

If you or someone you know has an old smartphone, try and refurbish it and give it to an older person you know. Try and teach them how to use the internet and show them how to register for an email address and check emails. Teach them how to use Skype, Zoom or WhatsApp so that they can remain connected during lockdown.

If you are not able to do this, there are a few organisations that can help with getting online and teaching on how to use the internet:

Age UK :

tel. no. 0800 678 1602;

website: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/bolton/

Your local library

Website: https://www.bolton.gov.uk/directory-record/2/central-library

email: central.library@bolton.gov.uk

tel no: 01204 333173

The time to act is right now.

If you are already online and an older person, don’t wait for a second lockdown! You can start learning to become happier, healthier and more independent right now by looking on the websites below:

https://www.bgs.org.uk/resources/keeping-older-people-safe-and-well-at-home

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/practical-guide-to-healthy-ageing/

We hope that this information supports you and your nearest and dearest to remain healthier and happier for longer.

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