Outreach and Support Services
The Newbury Soup Kitchen has introduced additional services available to the homeless, vulnerably housed, less fortunate and the street homeless of Newbury and West Berkshire.
We are fortunate to have a team of staff and volunteers who provide professional and caring help and support. Drug, alcohol, mental Health and homelessness experience through lived experience or working with vulnerable people for many years.
Health Outreach Team Community Nurses come to our weekly Tuesday outreach sessions at St Johns Church Newbury 2-4pm, Thursday Salvation Army Hall 6-7pm. Amanda and her team provide an invaluable service for people who struggle to engage or who are unable to access traditional medical services. To compliment this service
Valarie Jerome Optometrist provide Eye Health and eye tests on a Tuesday during our outreach sessions too. www.drvalariejerome.com/ This is by appointment but nevertheless an essential part of our outreach services. Eye tests not only support people with glasses it can highlight serious medical issues which would be otherwise go undiagnosed.
Hair Cutting service most Thursday evenings facilitated by Kate who is also one of our First Aiders we are so lucky to have her, in her day job she is a hairdresser and retired paramedic. Kate is also our part time outreach worker.
Pre COVID, we had a Footcare Specialist regularly attending on a Bi-Weekly Basis. Due to social distancing we had to stop this. We do however have a local lady who is willing to give her time if we have a client that is appropriate to take to her for an appointment. We are actively looking for a regular volunteer to take this outreach over again.
We work closely with the Community Dental Team and signpost to them as much as possible.
Many of our clients are not vaccinated and have underlying issues therefore we have to be incredibly careful and keep everyone safe as possible.
Newbury Soup Kitchen does not just provide ‘soup’…. Seasonal Vaccinations against influenza and more recently COVID 19 are also available as part of our outreach provision. During the pandemic and while they are still available, we are providing the opportunity for Lateral Flow testing for our clients this takes place during our Thursday session 6-7pm, at The Salvation Army Hall Newbury. All our outreach provision sessions are free of charge.
Tuesdays
Eye tests & Eye Health checks www.berkslabs.com/
- PIP and UC application form support from Newbury Soup Kitchen Outreach workers.
- Community Nurses (Health Outreach Liaison team HOLT)
- Fuel debt and Utility issue support
- UC and PIP support to include form filling and phone calls.
- Chiropody (appointment only)
- Sovereign Housing Tenancy support rent arrears and general support
- Outreach workers from the Rough Sleeper Team of West Berkshire Council drop in too.
- Liver Health Checks and Scanning with Fibroscan
And we can provide additional clothing, hats, gloves and camping items too. We aim to assist where we can.
Thursdays
- Haircuts weekly with Kate
- Samaritan face to face supports every week
- Community Nurses (Health Outreach Liaison team HOLT)
- Fuel debt and Utility issue support monthly
- Drug and Alcohol Service support weekly
- Support from our experienced team
- Face to Face one to one help with benefit help and benefit applications
- Hep C Testing through the Hep C Trust NHS
- Liver Health Checks and Scanning with Fibroscan