Advocacy
is about getting the support and advice to help YOU make the choices and decisions for yourself.
Organisations shown here provide a range of statutory and non-statutory advocacy as shown under "Advocacy provided?" and will be happy to explain in more details exactly what they can offer.
See information about this list and RAN Membership, below *
| Organisation | * RAN Member? |
Address | Website | Main Contact | Phone | Advocacy provided? | How to access |
| Age UK Berkshire |
Y | Unit 119, Broad Street Mall, Reading, RG1 4QA |
www.ageuk .org.uk/ berkshire |
Fiona Price | 0118 959 4242 | Non-statutory advocacy - support for people age 50+ their families/ carers. Telephone and face to face support available. Areas include benefits, utilities, adult social care, blue badges etc. | Call 0118 959 4242, appointments can be made to meet with an advisor. We accept referrals from individuals, professionals or others. Office hours Monday- Friday 9-4.30pm |
| Age UK Reading |
Y |
Walford Hall,
Carey Street,
|
www.ageuk .org.uk/ reading |
Matt Taylor | 0118 950 2480 | Non statutory advocacy offered when required. Helping older people navigate complex problems and sometimes making representation to agencies on their behalf. | Just call or email us. We accept referrals by individuals themselves, social care and health care professionals, or others. |
| Berkshire Women's Aid | Y | 94-98 Addison Road, Reading RG1 8EG | www.berkshire womensaid.org.uk |
Andrea West | 0118 950 0182 | Non-statutory advocacy - support for any victims/survivors of domestic abuse and their children.
Telephone and face to face support available. Areas include safe accommodation, emotional support, legal remedies, housing finances and benefits with signposting and referrals to other specialist agencies as required. |
Call our helpline on 0118 950 4003 to access all services or email helpdesk@bwaid.org.uk
Office hours Monday- Friday 9- 5pm Emergency calls answered out of hours. |
| British Red Cross refugee service |
Y | 90 Eastern Avenue, RG1 5SF |
www.redcross.org.uk
|
Kerri Chana | 0300 333 5393 | Non-statutory to refugees, those seeking asylum and vulnerable migrants. Access to asylum support, children and adult social services health and well-being services includes making statutory referrals, follow-up and advocacy. Access to emergency provisions. | Referrers and/or service users can call our helpline and gain instant access to interpreters. We accept referrals by individuals themselves by social care and health professionals or other third parties. tvrefugeesupport@redcross.org.uk |
| Citizens Advice Reading |
Y | 40 Minster Street, RG1 2JB |
rcab.org.uk | 0808 278 7819 | Non-statutory advocacy. Informal advocacy across a range of holistic services to include Employment Tribunal preparation; Benefit Appeal preparation and support with County Court Housing issues | We accept referrals by individuals themselves, social care and health care professionals, or others. | |
| CommuniCare | Y | 233 Kings Road, RG12 4LS |
www. communicare. org.uk |
Francesa Yates |
0118 926 3941 | Non-statutory, informal advocacy giving necessary support to the vulnerable and marginalised. Assisting clients with many different issues, including welfare benefits (applications & appeals), housing & employment. | Daily drop-in service at the CommuniCare Advice Centre. Outreach sessions each day in locations across Reading. Referrals from individuals, partner agencies and health care professionals for our home visiting service. |
| Graft Thames Valley |
Y | 84 Queens Road, Reading, RG1 4BW |
graft.org.uk | Hazel Wright | 0796 014 2375 | Non-statutory Advocacy: Limited, informal advocacy across a range of advice and support services linked to employment and employability. | Email info@graft.org.uk to arrange appointment. |
| Launchpad | Y | 1a Merchants Place, RG1 1DT |
www.launchpad reading.org.uk |
Janine Breakspear | 0118 929 1111 | Non-statutory advocacy. Drop-in advice Mon, Wed & Fri 10:00-14:00. Housing - support navigating the social and private rented sector. Finances - support challenging statutory decisions, e.g. mandatory reconsiderations, applying for Universal Credit. Legal advice provided, e.g. to challenge an invalid S21. Signposting to external agencies - mental health, social services, physical health services. | Self-referral during our Drop-in times. |
| Parents & Children Together (PACT) | Y | 7 Southern Court, South Street, RG1 4QS |
www.pactcharity.org | Alana House - Jeanie Herbert
Bounce Back 4 Kids - Panda Phelan |
0300 456 4800 | Non-statutory advocacy for women only - emotional support, counselling, confidence building, empowerment, support with action plans, keywork, group work, multi-agency work. | Women can refer themselves to Alana House or be referred from another voluntary organisation or community-based service in any area we offer a service. To access any of the Alana House services please download and complete a referral form here Completed forms can be sent to alana.house@pactcharity.org To refer a child or parent who lives in Reading or West Berkshire and may benefit from attending a BB4K programme you can download and complete a referral form here |
| Readifood/ Faith Christian Group |
N | 33 Boulton Road, RG2 0NH |
readifood.org.uk | Alison Peyton | 0118 987 2672 | Non-statutory. No individual advocacy, but advocacy to policymakers regarding the homeless and those needing food. | By phone or through our website. We accept referrals from social care and health care professionals and others. |
| Reading Community Learning Centre |
N | 94 London Street, RG1 4SJ |
www.rclc.org.uk | Petra (Mon-Thu 9:30am-2:30pm) |
0118 959 5455 or 07923 138 681 |
Non-statutory advocacy for women only – emotional support, confidence building, empowerment, progression advice, interpretation, outreach work, multi-agency work and active referral support – going with BAME women to solicitors, CAR, RCWRU, DWP, Social Services, Doctors on an appointment basis. |
For BAME women only. We accept referrals by individuals themselves, social care and health care professionals, or others such as family & friends.
For outreach support, translation, active referrals, form filling and referrals from other organisation please contact Shaheen on 07923 138 730 on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9am-5pm |
| Reading Community Welfare Rights Unit |
Y | 252 Northumberland Avenue, RG2 7QA |
readingspecialist.co.uk/ | Matt Harrison, CEO | 0118 955 1070 or 07391 554 684 |
Quasi-statutory and non-statutory. Assisting clients with welfare benefits issues. Will act as a representative to help clients tell their story/express their issue. Will deal formally with DWP over advising of entitlement to benefits, making new applications, mandatory reconsiderations and appeals as well as help to prepare documents for Tribunals. | Through the office, in person, by phone or by email or through the "Contact Us" portal on our website. We accept referrals by individuals themselves or from others. |
| Reading Mencap |
Y | 21 Alexander Street, RG1 5PE |
www.reading mencap.org.uk |
Kate Stonehouse | 0118 966 2518 | Non-statutory. Informal advocacy with information and advice on all aspects of living with learning disability or autism. | Individuals need to want to have our advocacy. We accept referrals by individuals themselves, social care and health care professionals, or others such as 3rd Sector organisations. |
| Reading Refugee Support Group |
Y | 35-39 London Street, RG1 4PS |
www.rrsg.org.uk | Flora Roshi | 0118 950 5356 | Non-statutory. Representing asylum seekers and refugees with the Home Office, Reading Council, DWP, etc. | Via Monday morning Drop-in or through booking an appointment. We accept referrals by individuals themselves, social care and health care professionals, or others. |
| Stepping Forward | Y | 12A Southview Park, Marsack St, Reading, RG4 5AF |
www.stepping-forward.org.uk/ | Sarah Snow | Quasi-statutory and non-statutory. Assisting clients with benefits issues. Will act as a representative to help clients tell their story/express their issue. Will deal formally with DWP over mandatory reconsiderations and appeals as well as help prepare documents and attend tribunals with clients. Some informal advocacy - attending meetings, doctors, etc as requested. | ||
| The Mustard Tree |
pending | 90 London Street, RG1 4SJ |
themustard tree.org |
Katherine Shepherd | 0118 956 7000 | Non-statutory. Helping people become aware of options, connecting with other services, liaising with health and social care. Support into rehabilitation and employment. Also accompanying people to appointments, and helping with form filling and communication - e.g. letters. | Referral through forms, our website or by direct contact. We accept referrals by individuals themselves, social care and health care professionals, or others such as voluntary sector organisations. |
| Total communication |
N | 131-133 Cardiff Road, RG1 8JF |
www.total commteam.com |
Sylvia Simmonds | 0118 327 1013 | Both Statutory and non-statutory advocacy. | By email only. We accept referrals by individuals themselves and by others. |
| YMCA Reading | Y | 34 Parkside Road, RG30 2DD |
www.ymcareading.org | Support Team Leader | 0118 957 5746 |
Non-statutory Housing – supporting young people into social and private rented accommodation. Finance – support with managing budgets and applying to relevant welfare benefits. Signposting – to relevant external agencies to assist with mental health; employment; other health services; education; training; social services. |
All our referrals come via Reading Borough Council's Housing Advice Team. Contact them on 0118 937 2165 or housing.advice@reading.gov.uk |
This list has been compiled, and is updated, from information provided by the organisations themselves.
* Membership of Reading Advice Network is available to any organisation providing Information and Advice to the public in Reading (Berkshire, UK) and surrounding area. Members agree to undertake the RAN Quality Standard, or similar, to ensure the quality of their information and advice-giving.
Organisations that are on this list that are not, or not yet, RAN Members are those who have told us they provide advocacy as shown.
RAN does not endorse any organisation on this list, including RAN Members, as to the quality and effectivess of their advocacy work. Please speak to the organisation's main contact shown here if you're concerned about the quality or effectiveness of their advocacy.