THE WELL-BEAN CRISIS CAFÉ – HOPE IN A CRISIS LEEDS BLOG: OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020: MENTAL HEALTH AND CRISIS SUPPORT IN LEEDS DURING TIER 3 RESTRICTIONS (Written by Matthew Hall – LSLCS Crisis Support Worker at WBC)

News has emerged earlier this week that West Yorkshire is due to go into a Tier 3 Covid Restrictions from 1 am on Monday 2/11. This of course places further significant limitations on peoples lives – further limiting access to support services, less places to go that can provide a distraction to anxiety or negative feelings and more isolation away from being able to see friends or family – which can seriously impact our mental health.

At the Well Bean Café in Leeds we provide mental health support in times of crisis. In addition to us already being open on Tuesday nights from Touchstone House in Beeston for face to face (F2F) supports, we are now also open on Friday nights for F2F supports from our centre at New Wortley in West Leeds. In addition to the usual phone and Zoom video supports that we offer – we are starting a new virtual social group on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. If you are feeling isolated and stuck, but don’t want to talk about your mental health/feelings at that point but prefer a positive distraction – then please refer on those nights. We have plans to have a safe virtual social space for visitors to come into with staff/other visitors – as well as in a few weeks have an arts group (where prior to this we would send you out an arts pack free of charge for you to be able to participate in this group) to offer a space of creative distraction gently guided by staff member Andrew. The first social group is due to go ahead this coming Wednesday 4/11 with staff member Matt – please refer to the service when lines open at 6pm that evening if this feels something that could be helpful via our self-referral number detailed below.

Even though many mental health services remain shut during these challenging times due to the Covid 19 Epidemic, the Well-Bean Crisis Café has remained open for phone and Zoom Video supports (Please find the link here for information of how to download Zoom to your computer or mobile device: https://zoom.us/download). We are open seven days a week from 6pm to midnight to offer support to anyone who feels that they are struggling with their mental health, are isolated/stuck or feel that you are experiencing a personal sense of crisis – then PLEASE call us on the numbers provided below. You can self-refer yourself to the service by calling our self-referral line – or professionals can also refer individuals by using the professional referral line.

One of the most challenging parts for many people has been the sheer sense of loneliness caused by having to self-isolate, especially for those who fall into the more vulnerable list of people who had to indefinitely isolate themselves due to ongoing health conditions. While everyone understands the need to do this to minimise the risk of getting Covid19, this doesn’t make it any easier for people to cope with their mental health, their anxiety or simply not having contact with other human beings. You can call the Well Bean Café to have to have either phone support or a Zoom Video Support for 45 minutes with one of our caring staff members. Often reaching out is the hardest part – but please call us if you need, we can help.

The Well Bean Café is looking at how it can start to safely open its services physically again, whilst also wanting to do this in a way that adheres to Government safety guidelines around Covid19. THE SERVICE HOWEVER IS OPEN FOR F2F (FACE TO FACE) INDIVIDUAL CRISIS SUPPORTS ON A TUESDAY NIGHT  AT TOUCHSTONE HOUSE IN BEESTON, AS WELL AS FRIDAY NIGHT AT NEW WORTLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE IN WORTLEY – REFERRAL LINES OPEN EACH NIGHT AT 6PM. PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO ANY NEW VISITORS WHO ARE IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS/THOSE NEEDING TO GET OUT OF THEIR HOME DUE TO THE IMPACT ON THEIR MENTAL HEALTH FOR A SMALL PERIOD OF TIME. IF YOU ARE A NEW VISITOR – YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO GET A FREE TAXI TO AND FROM THE SERVICE TO ENSURE YOUR SAFETY. THIS WILL INCLUDE AN HOURS F2F SUPPORT WITH A STAFF MEMBER, AND 30 MINUTES TO HAVE A WARM DRINK AND RELAX BEFORE LEAVING. We will update people via this blog when we are able to offer safe social areas for visitors to return to. Please be aware that this Blog will be released fortnightly from now on with important updates as to when we will be able to go back to our normal service pattern, though the health of visitors and staff are our priority at all times. We will also put this information out on the Touchstone website, and other Touchstone social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, etc).

OUR SELF REFERRAL LIFE IS: 07760 173476 (both lines open 6 to 12pm ALL WEEK)

OUR PROFESSIONAL REFERRAL LINE IS: 07760 173505

WHAT THE SERVICE OFFERS WHEN WE ARE OPEN AT ALL OUR USUAL SITES AGAIN:

We offer a genuinely safe place – with caring staff/support workers, offering the following services: A non-judgemental social place to relax in, freshly cooked food with hot/cold drinks on tap (no charge), 1 to 1 therapeutic support sessions (up to an hour – from a person centred standpoint), practical support – with a focus on social crisis, information and signposting to others helpful services in Leeds, as well as having board games, art books, music and general socialising in a safe space. Our workers – Kimberley, Ishrat, Wendy, Adriana, Matt, Mark, Lizzy, Madlen, Chantelle, Esther, Lauren, Kim, Joe, Dina, Susan and Andrew are here are to welcome you with a friendly smile J…

The Well-Bean – Hope in a Crisis Café is a service run in partnership between Touchstone and Leeds Survivor Led Crisis Service.

DETAILS OF WHERE/WHEN THE WBC IS OPEN THROUGHOUT THE WEEK ARE BELOW WHEN WE RETURN TO FULL PHYSICAL SERVICES IN THE FUTURE:

SATURDAY, SUNDAY AND MONDAY 6PM TO 12AM @ LINCOLN GREEN COMMUNITY CENTRE, CROMWELL MOUNT, LS9 7ST.

TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY 6PM TO 12AM @ TOUCHSTONE HOUSE, 2-4 MIDDLETON CRESCENT, BEESTON, LS11 6JU.

THURSDAY AND FRIDAY 6PM TO 12AM @ THE NEW WORTLEY CENTRE, 40 TONG RD, LS12 1LZ

*PLEASE NOTE – ON YOUR FIRST VISIT TO THE WELL-BEAN CAFÉ – WE WILL PROVIDE A FREE TAXI (TO AND FROM) THE SERVICE, TO TAKE AWAY THE WORRY OF GETTING TO US FOR THE FIRST TIME*

Leeds Survivor Led Crisis Service also provide a number of Crisis Services (face to face) and via  phone or text.  Their website is lslcs.org.uk for information on the rest of their service, including day time support as well as a number of different support groups.

DIAL HOUSE  is open 5 days a week (Fri to Mon, and Wed). Call 01132 609328 from 6pm to refer.

THE CONNECT HELPLINE is open every night of the year, 6pm to 2 am. They offer phone, text and online support is you feel like you don’t want to leave/cant leave where you are currently. Call them on 0808 800 1212 or go to www.lslcs.org.uk to refer for online support.