Help and Advice

East Sussex County Council
County Hall, St Annes Crescent, Lewes, BN7 1SW (01273) 481000

Local Government Ombudsman
You can complain to the Local Government Ombudsman if you think you have suffered injustice arising from maladministration by your local council or certain other bodies. Commission for Local Administration, Local Government Ombudsman, PO Box 4771, Coventry CV4 0EH. Tel: 0300 061 0614 Fax: 024 7682 0001.
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Police Non Emergency
(low cost local rate) 0845 60 70 999 Hastings Police Station, Summerfields, Bohemia Road, Hastings, TN34 1JJ, (01424) 425000.

Sussex Police
Police HQ, Malling House, Lewes, BN7 2DZ, (01273) 475432. Police Helpline for Deaf People (01273) 483435.

Crimestoppers
If you know the names of people committing crime, or dealing drugs call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111, your call is free and totally anonymous and you may receive a reward.

Hastings and Rother Magistrates Court
Law Courts, Bohemia Road, Hastings TN34 1ND, (01424) 437644. Clerks office open Mon-Fri 9.15am to 4.30pm.

Hastings County Court
Law Courts, Bohemia Road, Hastings, TN34 1QX, (01424) 435128, Mon-Fri 10am to 4pm. Payments 9am to 4pm.

Hastings and Rother Rainbow Alliance
Offering support and a social network to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and trans community, with information and training to the wider community on LGBT equalities. 31A Priory Street, Hastings TN34 1EA. Tel 07505 819344
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Hastings Trust
Advice and signposting for local people. Hastings Trust is a local charity now in it's 21st year. Based in Robertson Street, it has a resource centre on the ground floor with computers for public useage and staff on hand to answer queries from members of the public. Open 9:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday. Contact Heather Smith on 01424 446373.
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Neighbourhood Watch Association
Anthony Turtle, 87a Hughenden Road, Hastings TN34 3TF (01424) 443857
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Victim Support
Hastings, Bexhill & Rye for victims of crime (01424) 424393. Fax 721100.

Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages
(including Bexhill) Summerfields, Bohemia Road, Hastings. (01424) 721722/Marriage enquiries:721212.

Citizens' Advice Bureau
The Advice and Community Hub, Renaissance House, London Road, St. Leonard's on Sea TN37 6AN. (01424) 430400. Mon-Fri 10 am to 1 pm; Open door 2-4pm by appointment; Bureau open 5-7pm Wednesdays, by appointment. Money advice service by appointment, (01424) 721386. Legal sessions by appointment, Wednesdays 5-7 pm. Mediation service Mon-Fri 10am - 4pm (01424) 446808

Hastings Tourist Information Centre
Queen's Square, Priory Meadow, Hastings, (01424) 781111
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Alzheimer's Society
St Anne's Centre, Conquest Hospital, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 7RD Tel: 01323 727127.
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Carea Recruitment and Training
1 Nelson Road, Hastings, TN34 3RX, contact Linda Sutton (01424) 461490

Age Concern Hastings
Angela Colburn, Manager, 50 Robertson Street, Hastings, TN34 1HL, (01424) 426162.

Age Concern East Sussex
The Almonry, High Street, Battle, TN33 0EA, Dorothy Smith: information and advice worker; Jackie Dennis Day Care Organiser - (01424) 775721.

The Bohemia Trust
123 Bohemia Road, St Leonards, (01424) 722923; Charity No. 1057723. Helps with any debt or related problems. A free confidential service.

ADHD - Adults Support Group
Judith Monk, c/o 75A Middle Road, Hastings. (01424) 420767.

Disability Information Line
Children's Services: Ann Ling, 37 Fellows Road, Hastings, TN34 3TY, (01424) 422617 weekday mornings 9am to noon. Courses for Adults with Learning Difficulties: Supportive Education at Hastings College: 80 St Saviours Road, St Leonards, TN38 0AR (01424) 720978, contact Judith Guest.

Employment Service Direct
Job seekers hotline, data base of 300,000 vacancies for the price of a local call 0845 6060 234.

Face to Face
Free confidential counselling service
for 16-25 year olds, 5 Queen's Road, Hastings, TN34 1QP. Self referral by phone or letter, ring (01424) 466366.

Hastings Paranormal Research Group
22B Dane Road, St Leonards-on-Sea TN38 0QW.

Hastings Voluntary Action
31a Priory Street, Hastings,TN34 1EA, (01424) 444010. Development and support agency for voluntary sector.

Dental Advice in Emergency
For those not registered with a Dentist - Out of Hours cover weekdays 6.30 to 10.30pm and 9.30am to 1.30pm weekends and Bank Holidays. Tel (01424) 850792.

Health Information Service
Free and confidential health information, freephone 0800 66 55 44. Mon-Fri 9am to 7pm, Fri 9am to 5pm. Minicom service.

Health Information Service at Healthline
The College of Health, St Margaret's House, 21 Old Ford Road, London E2 9PL.

NSPCC
Child Protection Helpline, Free 24-hr helpline. If you know or suspect that a child is being ill-treated or neglected telephone 0800 800 500.

NSPCC East Sussex
Provide counselling for abused children and their parent/carers and families, and adults who were abused as children. Tel (01424) 428833.

NSPCC East Sussex
and NCH Action for Children
Provide a Brief Family Therapy service for families experiencing a wide range of problems, Tel (01424) 728500.

NSPCC Schools Counselling Service
Provides counselling for children at a small number of schools in the Hastings and St Leonards area Tel (01424) 728520.

Oasis Community Project - East Hastings
Centre offering advice, support and educational courses. Health and family support services also available. Contact Jackie Gaunt, Broomgrove Community Centre, 85 Chiltern Drive, TN34 3PY. 01424 427582.

Hastings Pensioners Association
Pressure group meet every second Wednesday in the month at 2pm 'Pop In', 6 Bank Buildings, Hastings. Membership £2 per year - outings/holidays.

Pagan Healer & Adviser, Paranormal Researcher
22B Dane Road, St Leoanrds TN38 0QW, Sandie Carlyon

Paranormal Research
Kevin Carlyon, 22B Dane Road, St Leonards. Free advice available for those wth a supernatural problem.

Samaritans
26 St Andrew's Square, Hastings, TN34 1SR (01424) 436666. Emergency telephone staffed 24 hours. Centre open each day 9.30 am to 9.30 pm. National number 0345 90 90 90.

Social Services
Pine Hill Training Centre, 185 The Ridge, Hastings, TN34 2AE. Social Services Information Line for queries on services and social care issues call local rate number 0845 60 10 664 Fieldwork Teams (Children and Families) St Leonards/Hastings Ocean House, St Leonards, (01424) 723100.

Hastings Furniture Service
(Registered charity No 1003257). Needs re-usable clean household furniture and electrical items for people in need. Dorset Place, Hastings. Tel (01424) 441112. Hastings and Rother district only.

Chapel Park Community Centre
Community centre open to all in the heart of St Leonards. Offers computer training, free internet access, 'not for profit' community cafe, Hastings Ethnicity Minority Advice Service and volunteering opportunites. Please call Ann or Gary for more information 01424 714095.
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Southwater Area Residents Association - SARA
(successor to Southwater Renewal Area Residents' Association). Hon.Sec. (2004) Mr James Westacott tel/fax: 716368.

Home-Start Hastings and Rother
66 London Road, St Leonards, TN37 6AF (01424) 443636. A home visiting scheme offering support to those with children under five.

Parents Helpline
Brighton (01273) 550600. 24-hr listening telephone line by parents for parents under stress. Anything to do with children from babies to teenagers. Confidential and anonymous.

Relate
More than Marriage Guidance, 5 Warrior Square, St Leonards, tel (01323) 410001 for appointment. Confidential counselling service for difficulties in marriage or in other personal relationships.

Brighton Rape Crisis
PO Box 323, Brighton BN2 2TY (01273) 203773 (24-hr Ansaphone). Open Mon 6-9pm and Fri 6-9pm. Or for immediate help ring London Rape Crisis on 020 7 837 1600. Confidential service, answered by women, telephone counselling and advice service.

Xpress Advocacy Service
42 Robertson Street, Hastings, TN34 1HL, Tel (01424) 440118. Helpline 0800 454424. Contact Jill Miles. Hastings Befrienders P O Box 6, St Leonards, (01424) 444777 Wednesday 7-9pm.

Al-Anon
for relatives and friends of alcoholics - 020 7 403 0888. Alcoholics Anonymous (01622) 751842.

Hastings Drug Dependency Unit
9a Holmesdale Gardens, Hastings, TN34 1LY (01424) 720088. Advice for drug users, their families etc. Assessment - medicals; counselling, prescribing where applicable. Community Detox; in-patient Detox.

Manor Housing Association
Collington House, Collington Rise, Bexhill, TN39 3RT, contact Mrs K.E. Nobbs, (01424) 845019.

Xtrax Young People's Centre
16/24 yrs, Provincial House, Provincial Yard, Havelock Road, Hastings, TN34 1BP - Terry Drinkwater (Project Manager). (01424) 722524.

Sussex Alcohol Advice Service
(01323) 416305. Confidential one-to-one counselling service for those concerned about their own drinking problem or that of someone close to them.

Talking Books
for information ring (01273) 481170 or apply at public library.

Trinity Project
6 Trinity Street, Hastings (01424) 426375. Trained counsellors with advice on everything from alcohol to heroin. Home visits to rural areas. Free condoms and syringes.

Gamblers Anonymous HQ
Phone 020 7 384 3040

Quitline
0800 00 22 00 - For help to stop smoking.

Post Office Counters Ltd
Helpline For all enquiries relating to Post Office transactions 0345 223344.

Post Codes
To obtain a post code call 0345 111 222. British Telecom, Telephone House, Rheims Way, Canterbury, CT1 3BA. (01227) 474000 Mon to Fri 8.30am to 5pm.

Seeboard plc
Customer Service 0800 056 888, Power failure 0800 783 8866.

British Gas Energy Centres Ltd
Billing: 0845 609 11 22. Gas Escapes - All areas Bexhill, Hastings and St Leonards, Rye, Winchelsea Any local area 0800 111 999. Gas Accounts 0645 555800 Mon-Thurs 8.45am to 5pm. Friday to 4.45pm.

Childline, 0800 1111
Help for children and young people suffering any kind of abuse.

Hastings and Rother Counselling Service
Contact Rose Wesbter (01424) 428300, self referral adults, personal family relationship issues, Ground Floor Flat, 73 London Road, St Leonards-on-Sea TN37 6AR.

Meningitis 24 Hour Helpline
01454 413344. Be Aware, Be Alert and Act - get medical help.

Migraine Support Group
Informal meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month. Please contact June Gavin on 01424 714285, or Lesley Drew on 01424 216991.
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Hastings and Rother Citizens' Advice Bureau
The Advice and Community Hub, Renaissance House, London Road, St. Leonard's on Sea TN37 6AN. Free confidential and impartial service. Help to resolve neighbourhood disputes. Office staffed part-time, answerphone at other times.

Family Matters
128a Battle Road, St Leonards, TN37 7AN, contact Rev'd K. Baird, (01424) 851500 or Peter Stevens (01424) 851502. A local service supporting Parents and Families of Adolescent children in times of difficulties.

Hastings and St Leonards Credit Union Ltd
41e Earl Street, Hastings TN34 1SG, contact Sam Burt (01424) 203651. A community mutual savings and loans organisation, providing secure savings and low interest loans.

Employment Services Direct
0845 60 60 234 To find a job, accessing huge database.

Hastings & Rother Counselling Service
For personal, family and relationship problems. 48 Cambridge Gardens, Hastings TN34 1EN (01424) 428300.

Hastings Lifeline
1066 Housing Association, P.O. Box 1066, Hastings, TN34 1WY (01424) 781234. 24-hour community alarm service for the elderly, disabled and vulnerable.

Association of Carers
Theaklen Drive, off Ponswood Industrial Estate, St Leonards-on-Sea TN38 9AZ, (01424) 722309. Voluntary relief sitting service for carers in their own home.

NCH Action for Children
211 Elphinstone Road, Hastings TN34 2AX, (01424) 440840. Nursery unit and support for under-fives and their families. Referrals through social services and health visitors.

Priory Playlink Family Drop-In
St Clements Hall, Priory Road, Hastings, TN34 3JE, (01424) 718511, contact Trish Drinkwater.

Supportive Learning - HCAT
6 St Saviour's Road, St Leonards, contact Judith Guest (01424) 720978

Direct Debt Line
for advice and information contact: 5b St Mary's Walk, Hailsham, E. Sussex. Tel. 0345 626804.

WRVS - Women's Royal Voluntary Service
Enquiries Isabel Blackman Club, South Street, St Leonards, Contact Sue Adey - Centre Development Manager (01424) 426090.

Together - Community Bridge Builder Support
Provide a support service for adults (18 - 65) who live in Hastings/St Leonard's with mental health problems or are experiencing isolation. Supporting individuals back into ordinary community activities (Art, Volunteering, Exersise, Social Activities, Learning Opportunities, Employment, Physical Health and General Wellbeing). Southwater Area Community Centre, 1 Stainsby Street, St Leonards on Sea, TN37 6LA - 01424 717430.
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