The following are local services provided by community organisations and other public agencies, some with funding or support from the council or government. Also see Council services.
Advice and support
- Ask the Police – Official resource with answers to a wide variety of questions asked about policing.
- Citizens Advice – National website with advice on benefits, work, debt, consumer rights, scams, insurance, family, housing, law, immigration, health and lots more.
- Citizens Advice Somerset – Local charity providing free, confidential and impartial advice.
- Police – Neighbourhood teams listen and act on local concerns: our area is covered by the Wellington North team. Crime and incidents can be reported online.
- SARI (Stand Against Racism and Inequality) – Provides free and confidential support for anyone who is a victim of hate crime across Avon and Somerset.
- Social tariffs – Cheaper broadband and phone packages for people claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits.
- Somerset Community Credit Union – Saving and loans for members.
- Somerset Community Foundation – Inspires giving and funding for Somerset charities.
- Somerset Volunteering – Council website with information on volunteering opportunities.
- Spark Somerset – Information, advice, training and support to the voluntary and community sector in Somerset. Also provide Spark a Change – a digital volunteering platform for Somerset.
- Turn2us – Helps people in financial need gain access to benefits and other financial help – online, by phone and face to face through partner organisations.
- Village Agent – Advice on access to information and services for those in need.
- Wivey Food Bank – A satellite from the Taunton Food Bank at The Silver Street Centre in Wiveliscombe.
- Wivey Kitchen and Food Project – Cooks healthy, nutritious meals for our community using surplus, top quality food from Fareshare. Also on Facebook.
Business
- Wiveliscombe & 10 Parishes Business Group – includes local directory.
- Business support from Heart of South West Local Economic Partnership.
Education and special needs
- Contact for families with disabled children – A UK-wide charity that provides advice, information, and support to families with disabled children.
- SEND advice and advocacy – Support to make choices and get your voice heard
- Somerset Parent Carer Forum – An independent voice to ensure all children have the best chance in life and receive the correct support and services to achieve their full potential. The forum runs regular coffee mornings, information events and training sessions, and publishes a newsletter and resources for parent carers and local service providers.
- Somerset SENDIAS – Information, advice and support about special educational needs and disability (SEND) for parent carers, children and young people (up to the age of 25). The service is free, confidential and impartial.
Environment and farming
- Environment Agency
- Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (South West) – A charity representing the region’s farmers and landowners in the delivery of wildlife conservation.
- Forestry Commission – Government department responsible for protecting, expanding and promoting the sustainable management of woodlands.
- Flooding – Somerset Prepared + how to plan ahead.
- Hills to Levels – A natural approach to ‘slow the flow’ in water catchments across Somerset to reduce flood risk and deliver environmental benefits. Information on natural flood management and funding support to farmers and landowners.
Health and social care
- Somerset Domestic Abuse Support (confidential helpline: 0800 69 49 999)
- Lister House Surgery
- Lister House Patient Group
- Mindline Somerset – Emotional support helpline.
- NHS every mind matters – Look after your mental wellbeing.
- Reminiscence Learning – Dementia Care, Activity and Reminiscence
- Somerset Big Tent – Organisations providing positive activities, therapeutic services and specialist support to improve wellbeing and mental health for children and young people aged 5-25.
- Somerset Carers – Free support for carers.
- Somerset health and wellbeing – Somerset Council public health.
- Somerset NHS health services
- Somerset Integrated Care System – Brings NHS organisations, the council, public services as well as voluntary and community partners together to improve the health and wellbeing of everyone in Somerset.
- Wellington and Wiveliscombe Health and Wellbeing Service – Supports people with long term conditions to access physical activity to promote and protect their health.
- Wivey Cares – Connects those with a need with those that can help within our community, including through a local network of micro-providers, a Memory Activity Group and a Wivey Carers Group.
Home assistance
- Lendology – A non-profit making loan provider working with local authorities to provide direct loans for private home improvements, including disability adaptations and energy efficiency, landlord repairs, and empty property regeneration.
- Somerset Independent Living Centres (Wellington) – Equipment and technology to make life easier and to help you keep safe and independent.
- Somerset Independence Plus – Integrated service to help disabled and vulnerable people live safely in their homes, including assessments, advice, adaptations, repairs and improvements, including heating and insulation.
- Wivey Cares – Micro-providers providing care and support in your home.
Transport
- Bus routes in Western Somerset – Map produced by Taunton and Wellington Transition Towns.
- Buses of Somerset – network maps and timetables
- Bustimes.org – Best website for bus timetables and tracking bus locations in real time.
- Community SpeedWatch – Local people actively involved in road safety.
- One.network – Information and notices for road closures (zoom in on map to view local area).
- Police (Avon and Somerset ): Report an accident or incident on the road – Reporting is important as the council monitors this data for recommending safety improvements.
- Somerset walking and cycling maps
- Somerset Road Safety – Includes links to register collisions and incidents on the road, including a near miss, cycling or horse related incidents, anti-social driving, drink and drug driving and illegal use of a public right of way.
- Think Travel – Journey planner for public and community transport in Somerset.
- Traveline South West – Comprehensive public transport information.
- Wivey Link – Community transport service open to all, who, for whatever reason, have no access to transport (public or private), and to those residents who are chronically sick or disabled.
Wiveliscombe and the 10 Parishes
- 10 Parishes Community Support – Facebook page
- Wiveliscombe Area Partnership – Community office, annual street market and carnival, and 10 Parishes festival.
- Wiveliscombe Area Website – Local events, businesses, clubs, services, and parish and town councils.
- Wiveliscombe news, information and employment – Facebook page
