Coronavirus: useful links
We are collecting information and links to useful local resources which we are updating regularly.
These links may be useful in helping to deal with the situation:
- Self-care
- Food and Food Banks
- Benefits and Financial
- Learning
- Culture and Entertainment
- LGBTQ+
- Befriending
- Nature
- Domestic Violence
- Exercising at Home
Self-care
Islington Crisis Team – C&I Crisis Single Point of Access Tel 0800 917 3333 – Freephone 24/7 for urgent mental health support
Samaritans – Freephone: 116 123
Certitude London – Out-of-hours peer support for people with MH, LDs and Autism. Freephone: 0300 123 1922
Age UK Islington – Connect to emergency food supplies; telephone check-in. Phone 020 7281 6018
Mental Health Forum – Forums for people exeriencing mental health problems, categorised by condition,
Help On Your Doorstep – Support for local people via telephone: 020 3931 6080
We Are Islington – Council run telephone support line Monday – Friday 9-5. Phone 020 7527 8222
The Help Hub – Free 20-minute sessions with trained therapists via Skype, FaceTime or phone
Talk for Health – Peer-support online groups via telephone, computer or tablet. Email info@talkforhealth.co.uk or phone 020 3409 3201
Mind (National) – Information and signposting service open Monday to Friday 9am-6pm. Phone 0300 123 3393
CALM – Telephone and webchat for people feeling suicidal, open 5pm – midnight all year round. Phone 0800 58 58 58
Mental Health Foundation – Advice on staying mentally well during the lockdown
Happiful – Advice on staying mentally well during the lockdown
Centre for Mind-Body Medicine – Self-care tips
Tiny Buddha – 45 self-care practices
Sleepio – Online sleep improvement programme
MS Trust – Relaxation techniques
Self-compassion – Guided meditations and exercises
Centre for Mindfulness – Mindful poetry
Melli O’Brien – Mindful poetry
Headspace – Travel Mindfulness tips from TFL
Good Thinking – NHS tools to help your mental health
NHS Apps library – NHS-approved apps and online tools to help you manage your health and wellbeing
Rethink Mental Illness – National charity offering information, advice and support to those suffering from mental ill-health
Get.gg Self-help – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy self-help resources
NHS – Coronavirus updates and advice
NHS Helpline – List of help available from charities supporting people with specific mental health illnesses
Anxiety UK – Support and resources for people feeling anxious about Covid-19
Mood Gym – Interactive self-help book to manage symptoms of depression and anxiety
Free Psychotherapy Network – Online support groups for people who are isolated
My GP App – Free smartphone app which enables you to book GP appointments and order repeat prescriptions
Big White Wall – Online community for people experiencing MH crisis
7 Cups – Connects people to caring listeners for free emotional support
Daily Strength – Online support groups and community forum
No More Panic – Message forum and chat room for people with OCD, Panic, Anxiety & Phobias
The Unlonely Project – Online community including activities, story share and a check-in process
Anna Mathur Psychotherapist – Podcast and blog dealing with issues of anxiety/isolation
Mewso – Telephone advice for women of Middle Eastern origin
Hearing Voices Network – Information, support and resources for people hearing voices. Email info@hearing-voices.org
Turn2me – Online support groups equiring registration and booking
Sign Health – Coronavirus information in BSL
Public Health England – Up-to-date info on Covid-19
Public Health England – PHE easy-read guides to social-distancing
Mencap – Easy-read guide to Covid-19
Sadhguru – Yogic practices to boost immunity
Calm (soothing sounds) – Listen to rainfall and other soothing sounds
Calm (whale tunes) – Sounds to help you relax
The Way of Rumi – Sufi meditation music
Musiqaa – Meditative and relaxing music
Meditative Mind – Meditative and relaxing music
Adam Siddiq – Playlist with Rumi poems
Suicide Prevention Helpline – Support for people experiencing suicidal feelings or thoughts or affected in any way by suicide: 30-minute webchat and phone support available Monday, Wednesday & Friday 6-8pm; Sunday 6-9pm. Freephone 08088 020 080 Text 07860 058 793
Rufus May – useful online resources for people living with psychosis or hearing voices
Inter Voice – Practical guide to coping with voices
Open Mind Online – holistic approaches to emotional and social wellbeing
Open Mind Online – Engaging With Voices videos. Support for people interested in compassionate approaches to voices. Includes 15 videos from Rufus May, Elisabeth Svanholmer and Charlie Heriot-Maitland.
SLOW (Surviving the Loss of your World) – Support for bereaved parents and siblings via one-to-one phone calls and emails and Zoom group support. Phone 07532 423 674 or email info@slowgroup.co.uk
Claremont Project – Free online activities for the over 55s: exercise, singing, creative writing, tai chi, book club and much more. Email amanda.b@claremont-project.org
St Joseph’s Hospice Bereavement Service – Phone 020 3317 5774 or email islingtonbereavement@stjh.org.uk
Islington Alzheimer’s Society – Phone 0333 1503456 or email Islington@alzheimers.org.uk
Listening Ears – Free online and telephone listening ears from qualified psychoanalysts
Shout Crisis Text Support – 24/7 crisis support from trained counsellors – will usually respond to a text within 5 minutes. Text: BEYONDFOOD to 85258
Random Acts of Kindness – activities to do at home around the theme of kindness
Lessons from the Mental Hospital – TEDx talk from bestselling author Glennon Doyle (formerly Glennon Doyle Melton)
Asperger London Area Group – monthly support group for autistic adults, including those with Asperger’s syndrome
The Listening Place – Fortnightly telephone support from trained volunteers for people feeling suicidal. Phone 020 3906 7676
The Caravan – Drop-in (outside of lockdown) and telephone counselling. Phone 020 7183 1802
Understanding Voices – Strategies for coping with voices
Voice Collective – Calming strategies for people hearing voices
Spiral Centre – low-cost therapy in Holloway £10-£50
Cruse Bereavement Care – free helpline 0808 808 1677 – Mondays and Fridays 9.30-5.00; Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 9.30-8.00; weekends 10-2.00
Cruse Chat – Monday to Friday 9am-9pm to speak to a bereavement counsellor
Food and Food Banks
Covid-19 Mutual Aid Groups – Local volunteer groups set up by borough ward to support with shopping, medication collection etc. Enter postcode into ‘local group’ search
Brownswood – Facebook
Chester Road – WhatsApp 07968 964 831
Clissold – WhatsApp 07309 785 643 or Facebook
Dalston – WhatsApp 07765 071 429
Finsbury Park – WhatsApp 07903 162 175 or email fpmutualaid@gmail.com
Finsbury Park, Stroud Green, Green Lanes & Manor House – Facebook
Highbury – WhatsApp 07961 703 751 or email highburymutualaid@gmail.com
Hillrise & Tollington – WhatsApp 07494 971 873
Hillrise email hillrise.c19@gmail.com
Tollington email tollington.c19@gmail.com
Holloway – WhatsApp 07790 164 439 or Facebook
Hoxton West – Facebook
Junction – WhatsApp 07498 670 610 or email junctionislingtonmutualaid@gmail.com
Mildmay – WhatsApp 07712 633 070 or email mildmaymutualaid@gmail.com
Newington Green – Phone 033 3050 9318 or Facebook or email info@newingtongreen.org
Queensland Road – WhatsApp 07813 701 458
Quernmore Road – WhatsApp 07904 520 117
Redbrick Estate TMO – Facebook
St George’s – WhatsApp 07787 707 643
Stroud Green – WhatsApp 07795 142 898
Tiltman Place – Facebook
Woodberry Down – WhatsApp 07826 002 230
Islington Council interactive Covid-19 map – Click on the type of business in the ‘show layers’ tab to find out who is open and how they’re operating
People’s Army Islington – Local support with shopping, dog-walking etc. Meals provided for the most vulnerable
London Homeless Info – Check site for updates on where to get free meals, clothes and showers
Food Cycle – Free food parcel deliveries to residents of Finsbury Park
Andover Community Centre – Food parcels delivered or collected for Finsbury Park ward residents only 1.30-5pm every Friday. Phone Sue Burbidge: 07989 213 322
St Joan of Arc Church – Emergency food bank Monday-Friday, 12-4pm, Saturday 1-2pm; no referrals or booking required. 60 Highbury Park, N5 2XH. Phone 07516 690 197
The Pilion Trust – Free fruit, veg, bread and patries for collection Monday to Friday 12-4. Deliveries can be arranged for those self-isolating. Phone 020 7700 2498
Jack Monroe – Cooking on a budget
Sweet Potato Soul – Simple vegan cooking on YouTube
Akwaaba – Takeaway food avaiable every Sunday at 2pm from St Paul’s West Hackney, 184 Stoke Newington Rd, N16 7UY
Brickworks Community Centre – Free food and books plus internet access Monday to Friday 9am – 3pm at 42 Crouch Hill, London, N4 4BY. Phone 020 7263 1067
Hornsey Lane Estate CA – Hot meals to take away on Saturdays 12-2 from Hazellville Rd, N19 3YJ. Phone 0207 272 5938
Hare Krishna Food For All – Free hot vegetarian meal 2pm to 2.40pm Monday – Saturday Take away from the white van at York Way next to Kings Cross train station
Margins Homeless Project – Food takeaway for people in crisis Monday 11am – 2pm; Wednesday 11am – 2pm from Union Chapel, 19b Compton Terrace, N1 2UN. Phone 020 7226 1686
St John the Evangelist Church – Pre-packed sandwiches, fruit and a hot drink for those experiencing homelessness – 3-5pm every Sunday from 39 Duncan Terrace, N1 8AL
LBI shop delivery info – List of local shops who can deliver
Good Gym – Local volunteers who can do more than shopping and collecting meds so please consider: changing lightbulbs, moving furniture. It’s free and volunteers are all DBS checked. Referrals must come from Mind.
Manor Gradens Free Food Parcels – Email MGAssistance@manorgardenscentre.org Order by 5pm on Monday for a Wednesday delivery.
Georgina Bisby – How to grow vegetables indoors without any equipment
Jenny Can Cook – How to make no-knead bread
Hilldrop Community Centre – Food parcels for collection on Tuesdays 12-3 for Tufnell Park and St George’s ward. Phone 020 7607 9453
Olio – Free food app where you can source local food from individuals and supermarkets
Benefits and Financial
London Renters Union – Support for people with rent issues
Shine Islington – Fuel poverty and free energy advice. Phone 0300 555 0195
DWP – Up-to-date benefits info
Thames Water – Freeze or reduction in water bills. Particularly helpful if benefits have been stopped/delayed
Council Tax/Rent – For council tenants anxious about being able to pay their rent or council tax. Email HomesandCommunities@Islington.gov.uk or phone 020 7527 5300
Wavelength – Charity providing free TVs, radios or tablets for people experiencing isolation
Money Saving Expert – Info on help with energy bills, debt, overdrafts, rent arrears
Islington Citizens Advice Bureau – Telephone advice on benefits, housing and debt. Phone 0300 330 1197
Islington People’s Rights – Welfare benefits and debt telephone advice Monday, Tuesday & Friday 2-4pm. Phone 020 7561 3685
IMAX (Islington Income Maximisation Team) – Phone 020 7527 8600. Leave your name and phone number on their answering machine and they’ll call you back
Learning
The Recovery College – Mental health online courses
Future Learn – Variety of online courses
Class Central – 600 free online courses from 190 universities
Open University – Free online learning
TED Talks – Inspirational lectures on a wide range of topics
VSS Vocational Solutions – Free vocational short courses. Phone 0161 478 4040
New City College – Free 10-12 week distance learning courses
Lubcho Macrame – Learn how to make macrame
Macrame School – Macrame for beginners
Guardian website – Online learning: how to acquire new skills during lockdown
Islington Council – Free online courses for Islington residents. Email aldo.zeolla@islington.gov.uk
Culture and Entertainment
British Museum – Podcasts
Tate Gallery – Online gallery tours, performances and texts
Tate Gallery: How are you feeling? – Match your mood to a Tate artwork
Tate Gallery “Walk of Arts” podcasts – Be transported out of your living room and into nineties Shoreditch, sunny St Ives or the hidden depths of the River Thames
Aurora Borealis – Live webcam of the Northern Lights – 3am-9am best time to see them – for insomniacs!
BBC i-Player – Free art documentaries
National Theatre – Watch performances from the National Theatre for free
Great British Home Chorus – Online community for choir and musicians
Sporcle – Trivia quizzes
Radio Garden – Interactive map of live radio stations across the globe
Meet Up – Free online talks and events for Londoners
Gutenberg Library – List of online free libraries
Billboard – Livestreams and virtual concerts
Globe Theatre – Free to watch Globe productions of Shakespeare
Google – Virtual tours of galleries, opera houses etc
National Gallery – Virtual tours of NG’s collection
National Portrait Gallery – Digital content from past exhibitions/NPG collection
Internet Archive – Free books, films and audio (mostly oldies and out of copyright)
Draw a Stickman – Surprisingly therapeutic interactive drawing
BFI Flare – 14 days free trial of all films that were showing in Flare
BFI Player – Short archive films to watch for free
Social Distancing Festival – Art and performance showcase from all over the world
Time Out – Listings for online events
Nothing in the Rulebook – Creative site with listings of free books
Chatterpack – Online resources to support SEND and learning disabilities
Mind’s Despard Road Music Channel – Music and visuals made by service users
North London Cares – Daily creative activities for people to do at home in isolation
New York Metropolitan Opera – Watch opera for free
What’s On Stage – Stage shows, musicals and operas to watch for free
Virtual Nature – Virtual visits to natural places plus a virtual gardening project to help you to grow things at home, courtesy of the Stuart Low Trust
Virtual Museums – Plus a virtual philosophy forum on Sundays
Andy Warhol at the Tate – Talk on Tate’s current Warhol show
Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra – Download music and play along with other musicians
CBC – Free indigenous films
Open Culture – Free online culture and educational media
Sacred Valley Tribe – Medicine songs
Soundcloud – Free music streaming
Art Net – News/articles related to art world
Artsy – Learn about art from leading galleries
Saatchi Art – Art selected from the collection by curators
Max Ehrmann – Desiderata: A Life Changing Poem for Hard Times
Crochet a tote bag out of grocery bags
Islington Council – Islington during WW2 to celebrate VE Day
Uffizi Gallery, Florence – online exhibitions
Musée d’Orsay – from railway station to iconic Parisian museum
Guggenheim Museum, NY – exhibitions and collections
LGBTQ+
QueerCare – Support for trans women via email and WhatsApp group: Phone 0300 302 1337
National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline 0800 999 5428
Respect Men’s Advice Line 0808 801 0327
Survivor’s Trust – For men who have experienced rape or sexual abuse 0808 801 0818
London LGBTIQ+ Mutual Aid support – Complete a form online to request help
Queer Foodbank – Emergency food parcels funded by a GoFundMe page
Outside Project – Monday evening Zoom meetings (6-9pm) + a WhatsApp group
Spectra – Transgender/non-binary online support group; open to nonbinary and trans people every Friday
Mind Out – Online support for LGBTQ+ community. Phone 01273 234 839
Out Savvy – Classes, comedy entertainment for LGBTQ+ community – some are free; others low cost
Leeds Queer Film Festival – Free queer films online
Queer East Film Festival – Queer films from East Asia
Befriending
Silverline – National charity offering weekly 30-minute telephone befriending to people over 60. Mind can refer. Freephone: 0800 470 8090
FCV Dorcas – For isolated older and/or disabled people living in Central and South Islington, offers telephone befriending. Phone 020 7689 1574
Hornsey Lane Estate CA – Phone Val: 07496 213 442
Nature
Aurora Borealis – Live webcam of the Northern Lights – 3am-9am best time to see them – for insomniacs!
Liziqi – Inspiring videos on making things from scratch and living in harmony with Nature
Jonna Linton – Inspiring videos from a Scandinavian artist inspired by Nature
Hilldrop Community Centre – Free 1-hour slots for Islington residents who don’t have their own garden. Available to single households only and not mixed groups. Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am-4pm. Phone 020 7607 9453
Yellowstone National Park – 10-minute virtual walks to the Mammoth Hot Springs and other delights, Wyoming USA
Domestic Violence
Refuge – Phone lines open 24 hours a day. Freephone: 0808 2000 247
Rape Crisis – Phone lines open 12.00-2.30pm and 7.00-9.30pm every day of the year. Freephone: 0808 802 9999
Respect Men’s Advice Line. Freephone: 0808 801 0327
Women’s Aid – One-to-one support and online forum
Respect – Telephone support for perpetrators of DV. Freephone: 0808 802 4040
Silent Solution – 999, cough or tap handset, then when prompted press 55 to be put through to the police
Survivor’s Trust – For men who have experienced rape or sexual abuse. Freephone: 0808 801 0818
ICAP – Immigrant Counselling & Psychotherapy for the Irish community. Phone 020 7272 7906
Abuse Never Becomes Us – Support for survivors of abuse in the Tamil community. Email ask@anbu.org.uk
MOSAC – Support for non-abusive parents and carers whose children have experienced sexual abuse. Freephone: 0800 980 1958
Male Survivors Partnership – Telephone support Monday to Saturday and online chat. Freephone: 08088 005 005
Exercising at Home
Yoga with Adrienne – Free 30-day online yoga classes
Sport England – Free workouts and fitness programmes
British Heart Foundation – Tips on staying active in lockdown
Joe Wicks – Body Coach: Youtube workouts for all abilities
YouTube workout – 5-minute arm workout
YouTube workout – Pilates for older women
YouTube workout – Back pain relief exercises and stretches
YouTube workout – 5 simple daily exercises for older people
YouTube workout – Seated exercise
YouTube workout – Beginners Pilates
Islington Chinese Association – Exercise classes on Zoom
Qigong – 20-minute daily exercise routine – particularly suited to older people or people with mobility issues
Tai Chi – 5 minutes a day routines, particularly suited to older people or people with mobility issues
Better GLL – free online exercises for all ages and abilities
Posted on: 18th March 2020
