Parents and Carers List

HCRG Portal

Help Shape a New Children’s Health Services Referral Portal

HCRG Care Group is developing a new Children’s Services Digital Referral Portal for families and professionals across Wiltshire and Bath & North East Somerset.

The portal is designed to make it quicker and easier for parents, carers, young people, and professionals to access the right support at the right time. It aims to reduce delays, improve communication, and ensure referrals are routed effectively to the services that can help.

As part of this development, HCRG Care Group is inviting young people, parents and carers to take part in user testing sessions, to help shape the design, language, and overall experience of the new portal. Dates and times of the sessions will be online and take place on the following dates and times…

Wednesday 13th August 2025 Online (MS Teams) [Link to the Session] 6:00pm to 7:00pm

Thursday 14th August 2025 Online (MS Teams) [Link to the Session] 1:00pm –2:00pm

These focused virtual sessions will explore and test how easy the portal is to navigate, how clearly it explains services, and whether it meets families’ real-life needs.

Why Your Voice Matters
Your lived experience will help shape a portal that works for real people, not just in theory. What you tell HCRG Care Group through these sessions will directly influence how accessible, understandable, and effective the referral process is for families across the region.

Thank you in advance for being part of this important work. If you have any questions or accessibility needs, please get in touch in advance of the session.

If you have any questions, please contact: Charlotte Gallagher, Digital Front Door Project Manager, charlotte.gallagher@hcrgcaregroup.com or Carolyn Alvis, Head of Specialist Services, carolyn.alvis@hcrgcaregroup.com

Men's wellbeing

Free Wellbeing Programme for Men

The Men's Wellbeing Programme is a new 12-week wellbeing programme for men aged 20-59.

The next programmes run on Mondays and are:-

Monday 3rd March 2025 - Monday 9th June 2025 - Melksham Forest

Monday 17th March 2025 until Monday 14th July 2025 - Trowbridge, evening sessions

Monday 14th July 2025 - Monday 6th October 2025 - Devizes (with Marlborough pickup)

Monday 10th November 2025 Monday - 16th February 2026 - Chippenham


What's In Store:
• Nature-based activities including green woodworking, practical conservation and bushcraft skills
• Confidence building
• Connection with others
• Techniques to help manage anxiety, stress and depression


For more information contact:-

Tel:- 07702 802961

Email:- wellbeing@wiltshirewildlife.org,

or view information on the [Wiltshire Wildlife website].

Self-help group

Self-Help Group for Unpaid Carers in Lyneham and Bradenstoke

The Toucan Café is a self-help group for unpaid carers that meets monthly on the third Tuesday of the month, from 10:30am to 12:00pm.

Health professionals and members of support organisations visit the cafe on invitation, to help with advice and support.

You can be sure of a warm welcome, join for a coffee/tea, hosted by Sue, John and Stevie.

Meetings are held alternatively at The Cross Keys Inn, Bradenstoke and Cotswold House, Lyneham.

Upcoming dates

The Cross Keys Inn, Bradenstoke on:

• Tuesday 20th May 2025
• Tuesday 15th July 2025
  
• Tuesday 16th September 2025
  
• Tuesday 18th November 2025
  

Cotswold House, Lyneham on:

• Tuesday 15th April 2025
  
• Tuesday 17th June 2025
  
• Tuesday 19th August 2025
  
• Tuesday 21st October 2025
  

See the [Bradenstoke and Lyneham Toucan Café webpage] for more dates and information.

Carer Corner

Meet and Chat to other Carers in Salisbury

If you are an unpaid carer who finds it difficult to attend daytime groups, Carer Corner may be just what you are looking for.

Carer Corner is new initiative that is being offered in partnership between Carers Together Wiltshire and Alabaré Riverside Sanctuary.

Come along for a chat, relax and catch-up with other unpaid carers; it’s all about connecting, having fun and looking after your mental well-being!

No need to book – just turn up on the day.

Please Note:- New visitors to the Sanctuary will need to register on arrival.

Carer Corner takes place at:- Riverside Sanctuary, 2 Watt Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire from 7:00pm - 9:00pm.

Next sessions:-
• Tuesday 26th August 2025
• Tuesday 23rd September 2025

Health/Wellbeing

Social Prescriber Drop-in Trowbridge Library

First Wednesday of the month 9:30-12:30

Are you an adult who is struggling to manage your health and wellbeing? Your social prescriber from the local GP surgery may be able to help you.

Drop into Trowbridge library on the first Wednesday of the month to find out more. Social prescribers can put you in touch with the people and activities that might help you to feel better. This could be an introduction to a community group, a new activity or a local club. Or support to find legal advice or debt counselling.

Support group

[Community First] is working in partnership with [Age UK Wiltshire], Alzheimer’s Support, Wiltshire Service Users Network, Citizens Advice Wiltshire and Wessex Community Action, under the umbrella, ‘Carers Together Wiltshire’.

Community First will be hosting parent carer support groups both face to face and online each month. In addition to this, from April 2025 onwards Carers Together Wiltshire will be working in partnership with Carer Support Wiltshire to support them in running some of their carer cafes and support groups. This includes supporting them to run their monthly parent Carer group from the Bear Hotel in Devizes.

The date for the next Trowbridge group is:

• Monday 8th September - 10:30am - 12:00pm, Cesar's Coffee, 29 The Gateway, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge BA14 8FZ

No need to book.

For future dates and groups in other areas, please click [HERE]

Autism - sleep

Autism & Sleep

Autism and Sleep information session:-
Wednesday 10th September 2025 at 10:00am - 12:00pm.

This is an information session looking at autism and sleep and it will include support to help reduce stress around sleep. The presentation gives an overview of common sleep issues and tips and strategies that can help.

The session is free and will be delivered over Zoom. It is for parents and carers of autistic individuals (no diagnosis required) living in South West England you must be registered in advance.

For more information and to book a place, please click [HERE].

Personal budgets

Bristol Autism Support - free online session

Bristol Autism Support run a series of online information sessions for parents and carers of autistic children (any age / no diagnosis required) in South West England.

Personal Budgets & Employing Personal Assistants:-
Wednesday 10th September 2025, 10:00am to 12:00pm.

For more information and to book a place, please click [HERE]