Neighbourhood Support Services
As a neighbourhood-based charity, b inspired works to serve and support the community of Braunstone, Leicester. Our Neighbourhood Support Team works alongside and for the community to support local people, helping them to address the issues they face in their everyday lives. The team work to organise and deliver local initiatives and projects, aiming to provide real benefits for all our residents – Together we are stronger!
The Neighbourhood Support Team deliver a variety of services. This consists primarily of a Foodbank, ‘Braunstone FoodShare’ and Befriending Service, ‘Braunstone Befriending Service'. We also produce a community magazine, ‘The Braunstone Alert’, provide volunteering opportunities and facilitate training for local residents.
As well as this, we work hard to collaborate with other service providers and partners and facilitate the provision of additional support to residents - such as CALS (Community Advice & Law Service), EnergyWise, Local Councillors, Social Landlords and more. We also deliver a wide range of other short and long term projects, thanks to funding from various providers.
Our services exist almost exclusively to support people living in the LE3 1 (Braunstone) area
All of the services offered by the Neighbourhood Support Team are listed on the ‘Joy’ social prescribing platform. This allows you to find out more about the services offered locally and to make a referral to some of these services. You can access ‘Joy’ by clicking here.
Food Bank
One of the ways we serve the community is through our Foodbank scheme, ‘Braunstone FoodShare’. The purpose of Braunstone FoodShare is to work towards alleviating food poverty in Braunstone. This is a means-tested, membership-based scheme, that is available to people in need who live within the LE3 1 postcode area.
When a local resident gets in touch to request our support, we will initially give them a one-off emergency food bag. If the person needs longer-term support, then the next step is to apply to become a member via a sign-up process - to determine their eligibility and understand their needs. Eligible members of the scheme are then able to access food provision on either a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis - collected from b inspired’s Neighbourhood Support Base on Gallards Hill.
To refer yourself, or someone else for the Foodshare scheme, please use the Emergency Referral form below. A member of the team will contact you shortly to arrange for you to collect an emergency food parcel and make the necessary steps to provide with you with ongoing support, if required.
You can find out more about Braunstone Foodshare, by clicking here.
Food Pantry
As part of the FoodShare scheme we also run ‘The Neighbourhood Food Pantry’, which was introduced to help move members on from emergency food. The Pantry provides more independence, choice and affordability to help ease the burden of the cost of living.
The Pantry is a two-tier system which allows eligible members to pay either £6 and choose 9 items, or £9 and choose 12 items. Fresh fruit and vegetables are also provided weekly. The Pantry can help members to budget their money better, as they integrate the Pantry into their weekly grocery shop - saving them money on products that were becoming unaffordable.
Braunstone Befriending Service
Another way we support the community is through Braunstone Befriending Service. The Service aims to tackle loneliness and social isolation amongst the older population of the Braunstone community (people aged 50 plus), by providing positive activities and one-to-one support for them to engage in.
This is provided in three key strands; Talk Time social groups, At-home or telephone befriending and a Men’s Group aged 40 plus.
Recently, the Befriending Service has also benefitted from funding via Leicestershire Partnership Trust (NHS) - ‘Getting Help In Neighbourhoods’ programme, to deliver its ‘Get Connected, Stay Well’ project. This funding enables b inspired to integrate support for people aged 25 plus, who experience emotional low mood, stresses and anxiety; by offering self-care and well-being activities to improve general wellbeing.
Talk Time Social Groups
Our weekly over 50’s social group, Talk Time, is a friendly group of people who come together, to participate in a range of activities and enjoy a positive social experience. Activities include bingo, arts and crafts, trips out and more.
Talk Time is only available to people living in the LE3 1 postcode area and a small contribution of £2 is required to attend each session, to help towards refreshments and activities.
We run two Talk Time social groups per week, these are:
Tuesdays, 10am – 12pm
Sandyhurst Supported Living, Hockley Farm Road LE3 1HN
Thursdays, 10.30am – 12.30pm
St Peters Church Hall, Woodshawe Rise, LE3 1RH
You can find out more about Talk Time by clicking here.
Men’s Group
The Men’s Group meet once a week:
Tuesdays - 10:30am - 1.00pm
Most weeks the group meet at Preloved@45 Community Shop, 45 Wellinger Way, LE3 1RG, but please contact the Neighbourhood Support Team for details about specific sessions.
The Men’s Group is a weekly group for men aged 25+ to come together and take part in a variety of activities; including gardening, growing veg, street clean-ups, basic repair jobs and other practical activities.
The Men’s Group is available to people who live in the LE3 1 postcode area. The group is free to attend but a financial contribution may be required to take part in additional activities, such as trips out.
If you, or someone you know, would like to come to the Men’s Group, please contact the Neighbourhood Support Team on 0116 279 5020.
You can find out more about the Mens Group by clicking here.
At-home befriending
b inspired offer a tailored at-home and telephone befriending service, for people who are housebound, or do not leave their house often to help reduce isolation and loneliness.
Befriendee’s will be paired with a suitable volunteer who will visit them in their home, or if preferred telephone them on a weekly basis. Alternatively, a member of staff will telephone the person weekly.
The At-home befriending service is for people who live in the LE3 1 postcode area.
If you, or someone you know, would like to access this support, please use the Befriending Referral Form and a member of the team will contact you to discuss this further.
You can find out more about at-home befriending by clicking here.
Volunteering
Our Neighbourhood Support Service provides various volunteering opportunities, for people to get involved and participate in meaningful activities. There are volunteering roles available within Braunstone FoodShare, Braunstone Befriending Service, The Braunstone Alert magazine and more. Some of the volunteering opportunities we offer require a longer-term commitment, but there also opportunities to volunteer as part of short-term projects.
You can find out more about volunteering with b inspired by clicking here.
Braunstone Alert
The Braunstone Alert is a bi-monthly community magazine, produced and published by the Neighbourhood Support Team, with 2500 copies of each edition being distributed throughout Braunstone.
Each edition usually includes a variety of local updates and photographs, as well as positive local stories and useful up-to-date information, such as events happening in the area. We also offer advertising space to businesses and organisations, at competitive rates.
|
Size |
Dimensions |
Price |
|---|---|---|
|
Business card |
5cm x 9cm |
£40 +VAT |
|
Quarter page |
14.75cm x 10.5cm |
£105 +VAT |
|
Half page |
21cm x 14.5cm |
£175 +VAT |
|
Full page |
21cm x 29cm |
£210 +VAT |
All adverts are offered in full colour.
The Alert is distributed by volunteers and The Neighbourhood Support Team, both door-to-door and to various community hubs throughout Braunstone e.g. schools, churches, shops and community centres.
The Alert is also available online. The most recent editions can be seen here.
Neighbourhood Management Board (NMB)
b inspired launched a Neighbourhood Management Board (NMB) in 2008, which is made up of local key service providers e.g. Housing, Health, Police, Children’s Services and other organisations. The Board meets every couple of months to discuss what support is available for local residents and to share information.
We are always looking for local residents to get involved with the NMB. Please get in touch if you are interested. The notes of the most recent NMB Meeting can be found in The Braunstone Alert magazine
Braunstone Residents Network
The Braunstone Resident’s Network aims to provide community services such as fundraising, event support and often acts as a listening ear in the community. We are always looking for local residents to get involved with the Residents Network.
Please get in touch to find out more.
Interested in finding out more...?
Up-to-date information on b inspired’s Neighbourhood Support Services can be found in the News section of this website, as well as on our social media pages and in The Braunstone Alert magazine.
For more information on any of our services, or to request our support, please get in touch or visit us:
Neighbourhood Support Team at Gallards Hill, LE3 1QR on 0116 279 5020 or email [email protected].