Listed below are local and national organisation you may find useful. Elliott Holmes Memorial Fund is not connected to these organisations, nor endorses them. These are listed to help you access support. Many of the organisations are well known and have been operating for many years.
Face-to-face support in and around Gravesham
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) – All ages
A Register of their members practicing in and around the Gravesham area. This is a paid for service.
https://www.bacp.co.uk/search/Therapists
Walk-Tall – All Ages
Lowcost counselling for adults, Children, Young People and Couples, BACP Accredited. Affordable for those on low incomes or with other financial constraints. The service is available in the Dartford, Gravesend, and Swanscombe areas.
https://www.walk-tall.org.uk/counselling-counselling-service
Emerge Advocacy – Young people 12-25
Specially trained youth support workers who support young people attending A&E because of self-harm, a suicide attempt or emotional crisis.
Darent Valley Hospital: 07984 008518 hellodvh@emergeadvocacy.com
Medway Maritime Hospital: 07983 136215 hellomedway@emergeadvocacy.com
www.emergeadvocacy.com
Children and Young People’s Counselling Service
For children aged 4-19 struggling with their emotional health.
Tel: 0300 123 4496.
www.kentcht.nhs.uk/school-health
Safe Havens – 16+
If you need to see someone face to face, there are Safe Havens across Kent and Medway which offer friendly support to anyone over the age of 16 living in Kent and Medway. Available between 6pm-11pm, 365 days a year.
www.kmpt.nhs.uk/safehavenskentmedway
Mind – 18+
We provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. We campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
We won’t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets support and respect.
www.mind.org.uk
NHS Talking therapies – 18+
Sometimes it takes more than one conversation to make a difference. You can access a range of NHS therapies from this website.
Find-a-psychological-therapies-service
AL-Anon
Al-Anon Family Groups UK & Eire is there for anyone whose life is or has been affected by someone else’s drinking. Online meeting and in person meetings available in Chatham, Barming, Maidstone. ALATEEN: To help young people affected by someone else’s drinking. They run family groups too.
ALATEEN CORNER CHAT: Mobile app for young people 13-18yrs who are affected by someone else’s drinking. They hold electronic support meetings too.
https://al-anonuk.org.uk
NACOA
(National Association for children of alcoholics). Free helpline (Open Monday – Saturday 10:00am – 7:00pm) 0800 358 3456. Email: helpline@nacoa.co.uk
Slideaway – Children and young people
Slideaway offers a bereavement support service to children and young people in West Kent.
www.slideaway.org
Amparo
Support following suicide. Support can be provided one-to-one, to family groups, groups of colleagues or peers, whatever is the most appropriate to your situation. Short and long terms support.
www.amparo.org.uk
We Are Beams – Families
Provides comprehensive support services to families of children and young people with any form of physical, learning or sensory impairment living in the Dartford, Gravesham, Sevenoaks and the surrounding areas.
Autism South East
Autism South East (ASE) is a family run and autistic led organisation, helping and supporting autistic adults and children and their families throughout the South East. Look at their events page for many Groups and Autsim Cafés in and around Gravesham.
Online help
Young Minds
Life can be challenging and we all struggle to cope sometimes. It might not feel like it, but things can get better. Young mInds has lots of advice and tips that can really help.
www.youngminds.org.uk
Young Minds excellent Parents A-Z Guide to Mental Health gives you advice on how to help your child with their feelings and behaviour, as well as mental health conditions and life events.
Papyrus
Papyrus provide confidential support and advice to young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, and anyone worried about a young person through our helpline, HOPELINEUK. They are open 9am–12am (midnight) every day of the year: 0800 068 4141
www.papyrus-uk.org
Childline
Get help and advice about a wide range of issues, call us on 0800 1111, talk to a counsellor online, send Childline an email or post on the message boards
www.childline.org.uk/
Kooth
For children aged 10-16 in need of mental health support, including online counselling.
www.kooth.com
Togetherall
For young people aged 16-18 in need of mental health support, including online counselling.
Release the pressure
Need support now? Text Kent to 85258 for in-the-moment help. We are here for everyone, any age, 24/7.
www.releasethepressure.uk
Barnardo’s
Help for young people
www.banardos.org.uk
Shout
Shout 85258 is a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope.
Text SHOUT 85258
Samaritans Self-Help App
Keep track of how you’re feeling, and get recommendations for things you can do to help yourself cope, feel better and stay safe in a crisis.
www.samaritans.org
Samaritans
We provide the same support to people with mental health issues as we do for anyone else. If you have a mental health diagnosis, you can talk about it with us, or you may want to talk to us about something else that’s troubling you, and that’s fine too.
We know that people with the same diagnosis may have very different experiences. We’ll explore what living with your mental health issue means for you. Your experience is the most important thing to us, not the label.
24hr telephone support: 116 123
www.samaritans.org
Porchlight
Poverty, health and housing injustice are complex problems affecting millions of lives. They are also avoidable. Porchlight work to improve understanding of the issues and fund sustainable solutions to rebalance an unfair system. Our hostels are more than just buildings, they provide safety, warmth and a fresh start for some of the most vulnerable people in our community. For many, our hostels are the difference between life and death.
https://www.porchlight.org.uk
Local Support Groups
Men’s Group – North Kent Mind
A peer-led support group aimed at providing a warm and safe space for men to discuss topic-based subjects around mental health, our own experiences, reduce isolation and create new friendships!
A 12 week peer support group for men will be hosted at Dartford YMCA, DA1 1UP 7PM – 9PM
If this is something that interests you, please use our self refer link listed below
We’ve got your back – Men and and Women
A place to come and talk, come and be silent, play a game, have a biscuit and to socialise and most importantly, to not be alone.
Windmill House, Windmill Street, Gravesend.
Men – Monday evening 6:30pm – 8pm
Women – Tuesday evening 6:30pm – 8pm
Coffee morning – Tuesday 9:30am – 11:00am
Free Counselling for qualifying individuals
https://wevegotyourback.org.uk
Men’s Pop In Group – Men
If life is getting you down and you need an outlet, drop inA Place to go for a cuppaand a chat, meet new people, make friends and know there is somewhere you can go if needed.
Wednesday’s 7:30pm
New Ash Green Youth Club, Ash Road, New Ash Green DA3 8JY
menspopin@outlook.com
Men’s Sheds
Connection, conversation and creation – that’s what joining a Men’s Shed is all about. Men’s Sheds encourage people to come together to make, repair and repurpose, supporting projects in their local communities. Improving wellbeing, reducing loneliness and combatting social isolation.
They’re about social connections and friendship building, sharing skills and knowledge, and of course a lot of laughter. Many Sheds get involved in community projects too – restoring village features, helping maintain parks and green spaces, and building things for schools, libraries and individuals in need. Whatever the activity, the essence of a Shed is not a building, but the connections and relationships between its members.
Riverside active lives – Woodworking/ gardening. Contact: Vince Durrant
Email: riverside.activelives@aol.com Tel: 07850 456175
Boat Buoys Shed – DA12 2BS. Boat Restoration (KS addition-29-Mar-2015)
Region: South East Contact: Ian Stevenson
Email: istevenson@sky.com Tel: 01474 535022
The Octopus Shed – 2 Victory Park Trident Close, Rochester ME2 4ER
Our Shed is offering woodwork, wood-turning etc, arts and craft, sign-writing, glass painting, IT stuff, support, tea, tea, tea and biscuits.
Contact Number: 01634712884 Open: Wednesdays 09:30 to 15:00
Parents Support
NSPCC
Advice and support for parents and carers.
https://www.nspcc.org.uk
Young Minds
Young Minds excellent Parents A-Z Guide to Mental Health gives you advice on how to help your child with their feelings and behaviour, as well as mental health conditions and life events.
www.youngminds.org.uk
Barnardos
From running services across the country to providing useful online guidance and support, there are lots of ways we can make your role as a parent or carer a little bit easier.
www.barnardos.org.uk
Autism South East
Autism South East (ASE) is a family run and autistic led organisation, helping and supporting autistic adults and children and their families throughout the South East. Look at their events page for many Groups and Autsim Cafés in and around Gravesham.
FREE Training
Youth Mental Health and Suicide Awareness
This course is suitable for anyone who supports, encounters or cares for a young person including health care workers, school staff, family and youth group leaders.
https://midkentmind.org.uk
Adult Suicide Prevention
This course is suitable for anyone looking to expand their knowledge as well as for people who actively support or care for an adult as part of their role, including health care workers, professionals, employees and family members.
https://midkentmind.org.uk