Support for Islanders
Living safely with COVID-19
Please continue to look after yourself and your loved ones. If you need extra support, there are organisations on the Island who can help.
Find out more about living safely with COVID-19
If you, or someone you know, has no money for food, help is available.
Citizens Advice Isle of Wight can guide you to crisis support. Find out more at Isle Help.
- Isle of Wight Foodbank provides 3 days nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people who are referred to them in crisis.
- Help through Crisis can help with emergency food, gas and electric.
- Free food from Aspire Ryde’s Community Fridge.
Join the Isle of Wight Council community food pantry scheme and enjoy a wide range of food to keep your kitchens stocked up. You need to become a member to take part. For £5 a week, members receive over £15 worth of fresh, frozen, tinned and dry food.
East Cowes Community Pantry
Community Spirited, Vectis Road, East Cowes, PO32 6HN
01983 296592
Opening hours are
Tuesdays – 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Wednesdays and Thursdays – 10:30am to 12:30pm
More pantries are opening in Ryde and Ventnor during May 2022. If you can’t get to these places a delivery service is being considered.
You don’t have to use the pantry every week.
Get more information about the scheme and the other pantries that are planned on this website.
- The Isle of Wight COVID-19 helpline offers COVID-19 support.
- Age UK IW offer emotional and practical help to older people. This includes help with shopping as well as support to combat loneliness.
Call 01983 525282 Email: info@ageukiw.org.uk - Go to the British Red Cross Shopping Service website for more information and to see if you are eligible for this service.
- AtoZtoMe provides a list of Isle of Wight businesses who deliver.
The Isle of Wight Community Mental Health Support Hub provides advice and support for Islanders. This NHS website has useful mental health information.
The NHS COVID-19 pages have a lot of useful health information about the virus, and what to do.
Advice for people at higher risk of COVID-19 (clinically extremely vulnerable) from nhs.uk and gov.uk.
If you need help from a GP, use your GP surgery’s website, use an online service or app, or call the surgery.
For urgent medical help including mental health support, use the NHS 111 online service, or call 111 if you’re unable to get help online.
Samaritans offer a friendly ear on the end of the phone 24 hours a day – and it’s free.
Tel: 116 123
Many local community hubs are offering telephone ring rounds and befriending through their volunteers.
Age UK IW offer telephone or digital befriending and wellbeing checks.
Tel: 01983 525282
Wightcare offer a Telecheck service that provides regular welfare calls from our friendly and experienced team.
Tel: 01983 821105 or email wightcare@iow.gov.uk. Prices from £5 per week for up to 7 calls.
Butterflies Bereavement Telephone Support
Tel: 01983 619503 or 07889009393
Carers IW – support for the Island’s carers
Tel: 01983 533173
Email: info@carersiw.org.uk
Mountbatten Keep Connected Helpline provides a friendly voice to chat to.
Tel: 01983 533331
Mountbatten offers bereavement support to all Islanders.
Tel: 01983 217297 between 10 am and midnight 7 days a week.
Suicide Prevention & Intervention IOW are trained and skilled in suicide prevention and intervention. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Tel: 01983 897331