Resources:

Marmalade Trust offers a vital link between lonely people and the communities and resources that can help them.

In a nutshell:

• WHAT: We recognise and raise awareness of loneliness
• HOW: We support and signpost people to new resources and communities
• WHY: To empower people to make new friendships and connections

We have a positive and proactive approach to loneliness and we want to normalise the conversation around it. There is nothing wrong with feeling lonely: it’s just a lack of social connections. We aim to lose the stigma around loneliness and rather than seeing it as a negative, shameful or hopeless thing, we want to educate people to see loneliness as a blank canvas on which they can fill their lives with new friends and experiences.

We all feel lonely at some point but the good news is that it is entirely fixable. We are committed to changing the language of loneliness to make it a conversation about connections instead.

Marmalade Trust website

Hillfields Family and Community Trust offers low cost counselling services to anyone who has become a parent under the age of 25, as well as the children of young parents, no matter their current age.

Based in the Hillfields Community Hub in Fishponds, they provide individual, one-hour, humanistic counselling sessions at an agreed time once a week. Sessions start at £10.

Although you may want to explore issues relating to pregnancy, parenthood or being the child of a young parent, all issues are welcome. All Hillfields therapists are members of the BACP and adhere to their professional standards and ethical framework.

Please contact Claire on 07765 361 070 or at clairewirsig@gmail.com for an informal chat or to arrange an initial appointment.

Hillfields Counselling Service website

Cocaine Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others recover from their addiction. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances. There are no dues or fees for membership; we are fully self-supporting through our own contributions.

Anyone who wants to stop using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances (including alcohol and other drugs) is welcome.

UK Helpline:  0800 612 0225
Local info line:  07760 632 986
Email: info@casw.co.uk
Website: www.casw.co.uk 

Cocaine Anonymous website

Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) is a fellowship of men and women who meet regularly to solve our common problem of sexual addiction.

Our individual sexual addictions have involved any number of practices.  Some of us had trouble with one unwanted behaviour, some with many.  All of us once felt trapped in a cycle of addictive sexual behaviour.  In SAA we have found a means of recovery which has released us from our addiction.  As part of our recovery programme, we try to help others who have similar problems.  The programme is based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, although we are not affiliate with AA.

• National Helpline:  07599 917 686
• Bristol meetings helpline:  07794 769 494
• Email: info@saa-recovery.org.uk
• Website: www.saa-recovery.org.uk 

Sex Addicts Anonymous website

Fishponds Women’s Support Group has been running for 16 years, offering mutual support for women with shared experiences of mental illness. Members meet weekly for coffee and a chat. Some members bring their knitting with them, others just come along.… Read more

ACT Peer Recovery is a community MUTUAL AID organisation that uses Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) to help people build a FULL and MEANINGFUL life. We have meetings where we practice ACT and teach the skills to help people make CHANGES in their BEHAVIOUR.

ACT is focused on accepting the things that are out of your control – such as thoughts and feelings – and committing to actions (behaviour) that take you TOWARDS what is important to you.

By peers, for peers

Meetings are run by peers who have changed their lives by applying the principles of ACT. Our meetings are:

• safe and accessible
• open access
• confidential
• experience-based
• non-judgemental
• voluntary

All meetings are open access. Please just turn up.

ACT Peer Recovery Bristol website

Exhale is a new weekly group run by Nilaari.  It is a safe space for women (age 25+) who want a regular opportunity to connect with others and receive peer support. Exhale will be a place to: Relax Meet new… Read more

Based in St Werburghs in East-Central Bristol, we serve the local communities of Ashley, Easton and Lawrence Hill wards and communities of interest across the city. The Centre is managed by the St Werburghs Community Association, which aims to provide… Read more

Do you enjoy singing? Are you a refugee or asylum seeker aged 16-30 years? Do you want to support refugees by joining a choir? Singing sessions are being held every Saturday, from 11:00-12:30 at the Bristol Cathedral Choir School. For… Read more

Leaders in Child and Family Mental Health The Bridge Foundation is a Bristol-based charity that provides accessible, high quality clinical services to a wide range of individuals, professionals and commissioners. Since our formation in 1983, we have grown into a… Read more