New local partnerships to support Reading residents

Following the successful procurement of services through the Closing The Gap procurement process, please see below the new providers and the services they are commissioned to deliver.

As of the 1st of November 2022, there are 13 new contracts, commissioned across 3 specific categories.

The categories are:

Category 1:

To support people to get out and stay out of poverty.

Category 2:

To build resilience, independence, and well-being, connecting people to support and focusing on individual and community strengths.

Category 3:

To invest in Voluntary &Community Sector infrastructure support.

 All residents of Reading can have access to these services.

Category 1: To support people to get out and stay out of poverty 

Citizens Advice Reading

Advice line: 0808 278 7819

CAR are commissioned to deliver a specialist debt management service to enable residents to have a better chance of reducing and avoiding the wide-ranging impact of debt on their health and wellbeing, for example debt management planning,

Tackling Poverty Partnership 

Tackling Poverty Partnership are a commissioned partnership made up of the following providers: CommuniCare, Reading Community Learning Centre, Reading Welfare rights, The Mustard Tree Foundation, FCG Readifood, Christian Community Action and Churches in Reading Drop In Centre.

The providers will work together managing and maximising residents’ income, address barriers to learning, wellbeing, employment and generational poverty. Support with the delivery of hot food for those in crisis and obtaining household items for those in need.

 

Category 2: To build resilience, independence, and well-being, connecting people to support and focusing on individual and community strengths

Reading Voluntary Action

Reading Voluntary Action (rva.org.uk)

0118 937 2273 info@rva.org.uk

RVA are commissioned to deliver a Social Prescribing service to residents. They join up the NHS, Adult Social Care and the voluntary sector, enabling residents to have easier access to the right support for them to build resilience, with reduced reliance on statutory services. Referrals from GPs, Talking Therapies, Hospital OTs, Community Matrons, Pain Clinics, Adult Social Care, Brighter Futures for Children and other VCS services are required.

Age UK Partnership

AUP are a commissioned partnership made up of the following providers: Age UK Reading, Age UK Berkshire, CommuniCare, Get Berkshire Active, and The Mustard Tree Foundation. They are commissioned to deliver to the most vulnerable adults, an at home advice service or in person community-based wellbeing sessions. This is aimed at supporting people to reduce isolation and loneliness through projects and mentoring. 

Berkshire Vision Partnership

Berkshire Vision 0118 987 2803 Info@berkshirevision.org.uk

BVP are a commissioned partnership made up of the following providers: Reading Association for the Blind and Berkshire County Blind Society.

They are commissioned to deliver outreach services to support residents newly diagnosed or have changes in their condition or are in crisis. 

The partnership support with technology and equipment and arrange of group and 1-1 activities.  

Thames Valley Positive Support Thames Valley Positive Support - HIV testing and support in Berkshire (tvps.org.uk)

01628 603400 office@tvps.org.uk

TVPS are a commissioned service to deliver Peer support, information, advice and guidance, and Counselling for adults with HIV.

Berkshire West Your Way Berkshire West Your Way - Together: A leading UK mental health charity (together-uk.org)

0118 966 0240

BWYW are a commissioned service to deliver 1-1 support and group workshops to enable residents to manage their physical and emotional health.

Alliance for Cohesion Racial Equality (ACRE) Acre-Reading – Alliance for cohesion and racial equality (acrereading.org)

0118 9510279 info@acre-reading.org

ACRE are a commissioned service to deliver activities that support residents to reduce isolation and loneliness, to provide digital access training, face to face support for those effected by mental health issues, support families to access the GP, education and benefits. The aim is to support residents that are from marginalised or/and minoritised communities.

Reading Refugee Support Group Refugee Support Group - Berkshire's Refugee Charity

0118 950 5356 info@rrsg.org.uk

RRSG are a commissioned partnership made up of the following providers: Reading Refugee Support Group and Reading Community Learning Centre.

The service is commissioned to support refugees with the support they need to access, education, health, general and specialist advice services, which will prevent poverty, mental ill health, loneliness, isolation, and inequalities. 

Parents and Children Together (PACT) PACT (pactcharity.org)

0300 456 4800

PACT are a commissioned service to deliver support to disadvantaged women with multiple complex needs including domestic abuse, ill health, unemployment, substance misuse, isolation, homelessness and general advice and guidance.

Reading Deaf Centre Reading Deaf Centre – Supporting the D/deaf Community in Reading and Wokingham

0118 9594969 info@readingdeafcentre.co.uk

RDC are a commissioned service to deliver support deaf or hearing-impaired adults to understand access support for their wellbeing. They deliver 1-1 and group activities to increase social interaction and prevent isolation.

 

Reading Mencap and Autism Berkshire Partnership

Reading Mencap and Autism Berkshire Partnership are a commissioned partnership made up of the following providers: Reading Mencap and Autism Berkshire

They are a commissioned service to support and empower autistic adults and adults with a learning disability to live well independently, to live a fulfilling life and actively contribute to the community.

 

Category 3: To invest in Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) infrastructure support

 

Community Action Partnership (CAP)

CAP are a commissioned partnership made up of the following providers: Reading Voluntary Action, Connect Reading, ACRE and Reading Advice Network.

CAP are commissioned to build a vibrant and diverse voluntary and community sector (VCS), informed by community needs and able to provide flexible, effective and accessible support for our most vulnerable residents. They will develop a digital platform to improve collaborative working across the voluntary sector with health and social care

The Reading and West Berkshire Carers Partnership is commissioned outside of the Closing the Gap Framework and aims to support and deliver services to unpaid carers

Reading Mencap: For Carer’s of Children & Adults with Learning Disability in Reading:
Information & Advice and Carer’s Assessments, 21 Alexandra Road, Reading RG1 5PE
Tel: Our new number is 0118 926 3600 

Email: carers@readingmencap.org.uk www.readingmencap.org.uk

For Age UK please see flyer for information on how they can support those caring for someone aged 50+

Age UK Reading can be contacted on the following number 07716 418 941 Email: carers@ageukreading.org.uk 

CommuniCare: For all other Carers in Reading
Information & Advice and Carer’s Assessments, 233 Kings Road, Reading, RG1 4LS,
Tel: 0118 926 3941: Email: office@communicare.org.uk, www.communicare.org.uk

 

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Page last reviewed: 09/02/2023

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