Local groups and projects

Asian Welfare and Cultural Association

The Asian Welfare and Cultural Association has been operating for the last 5 years. It has made a big impact on the Borough with the Eastleigh Mela, a free all day multicultural celebration with dance, music, food, workshops and stalls, which is a key part of Eastleigh Music Festival.

Contact:

• Rajni Bali, tel: 023 8068 8196, email rajni.bali@eastleigh.gov.uk
• Karen Jones, tel: 023 8068 3350, email karen.jones@eastleigh.gov.uk

Asian Elders

This is a sub group of AWCA, and has members from Indian, Pakistani and other backgrounds, and from Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Christian faiths. It organises an informal drop in session at a local church hall every Wednesday, where lunch is provided, and activities arranged including English and IT classes. A monthly surgery is held, dealing with pension, benefits and other topics. Other activities include regular health walks.

Contact:

• Rajni Bali, tel: 023 8068 8196, email rajni.bali@eastleigh.gov.uk or
• Karen Jones, tel: 023 8068 3350, email karen.jones@eastleigh.gov.uk

Eastleigh Race Equality Forum

The Race Equality Forum was established by Hampshire Constabulary in May 2000 ‘to promote racial equality and harmony within the Borough of Eastleigh’. It is a consultation forum made up from local residents and supported by the Police and Eastleigh Borough Council.

Its functions are:

• to be a safe and open forum for people to raise their fears and concerns
• to promote racial harmony
• to promote awareness of civil rights and responsibilities within all communities living in the Borough of Eastleigh
• to feedback to relevant agencies
• to create a credible, viable and sustainable local BME community network

It is an active forum, attended by representatives of the Asian, Persian, Polish and Chinese communities, and members of a number of statutory agencies. It meets quarterly, invites outside speakers to make presentations on topics of interest to the group, reports on community news, and there is a standing agenda item on racial incidents and stop and search data.

Eastleigh Tackling Harassment Partnership

The Partnership includes Eastleigh Borough Council, Housing Associations, CAB, Police, and Victim Support. An on-line form for reporting is now live. Hard copies are available and it can also be downloaded or completed on-line: http://www.eastleigh.gov.uk/PDF/Harassmentleaflet0308.pdf

Mental Health

The Community Mental Health Teams

Community (or Locality) Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) are run jointly by the Health Service and Adult Services, and deal with people's health and social care needs. They help people in the community, whether they have just become ill, have a short-term illness, or need on-going support (for example, if they have a long-term illness, or after they have been discharged from a psychiatric hospital).

• A-Z list of Community Mental Health teams

Direct Payments

Direct Payments is money paid by Hampshire County Council to individuals over 16 or carers eligible to receive social care services. It enables people to have greater choice, control and flexibility as to how their care needs are met, allowing people to live more independent lives

• Read more about Direct Payments