Christmas & New Year 2024 – Useful Information and Services
Please note: the Sefton CVS offices in Waterloo & Southport will be closed from Tuesday 24th December 2024 and will reopen from 9am on Thursday 2nd January 2025.
Here you will find details of local Voluntary, Community and Faith (VCF) sector services operating over the Christmas and New Year period, as well as details of Sefton Warm Spaces, Sefton Council services and local NHS services including GPs, Pharmacies and Walk-Ins.
– Sefton MBC Services
– GPs & Out-of-hours health care services
– Sefton Foodbanks
– Homeless Support Services
– Information, Support & Advice (Helplines)
– Christmas Meals and Social Activities
Sefton Warm Spaces
Working alongside voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations and in partnership with Sefton Council we have established a network of Warm Spaces across Sefton this winter. These include community centres, community hubs and other places offering a warm welcome and free to use for anyone struggling to heat their home.
To find your nearest Warm Space in Sefton click here.
Click here to visit the Here For You Directory – Sefton’s Voluntary, Community & Faith sector service directory.
Sefton Council Services
During Christmas and New Year, Sefton Council will provide restricted services. Most council buildings will be closed from Tuesday 24th December to Wednesday 2nd January 2025, but residents can still access a range of information and transactions via the council website;
Visit: www.sefton.gov.uk/christmas-2024
An automated phone service on 0345 140 0845, which details helpful emergency points of contact will be in place from 23rd December 2023 to 2nd January (inclusive).
Services that will continue to operate include critical social care services for adults and children.
Children’s Social Care
Our CHAT team will be available on all non-Bank Holiday weekdays between 9am-5pm on Monday 23rd, Tuesday 24th, Friday 27th, Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st December.
CHAT: 0151 934 4013
Please call the emergency duty team on Bank Holidays, weekends, out of hours and on Wednesday 25th, Thursday 26th, Saturday 28th, Sunday 29th December and Wednesday 1st January, if your concern is urgent.
Emergency Duty: 0151 934 3555
Adult Social Care
The teams will be available on all non-Bank Holiday weekdays between 9am-5pm. (Monday 23rd, Tuesday 24th, Friday 27th, Monday 30th, Tuesday 31st December)
Contact: 0151 934 4600
For Social Care emergencies outside of these times, please call:
Emergency Duty Team: 0151 934 3555
Support can also be accessed from the Family Wellbeing Centre in North Sefton.
| North Locality | Talbot Street Family Well Being Centre St Andrew Place PR8 1HR | 01704 534975 |
Healthcare Provisions in Sefton
Winter Wellbeing
For life-threatening emergencies and serious injuries, people should call 999 or go straight to A&E. For all other urgent help, or if you’re not sure what to do, contact NHS 111 by calling 111, visiting 111.nhs.uk or by using the NHS App.
NHS 111 can assess and direct people to the most appropriate local service, including urgent treatment centres, GP practices, and consultations with a pharmacist. If needed it can arrange a call back from a nurse, doctor or paramedic or provide self-treatment advice over the phone. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you have a hearing problem, call 18001 111 using the Relay UK app or a textphone. To access the British Sign Language (BSL) video service, go to signvideo.co.uk/nhs111. If you need help in another language, call 111 and ask for an interpreter.
GP practices will be closed during the Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day bank holidays. Many pharmacies will also be closed or operating on reduced hours. To find your nearest pharmacy and check their opening times, visit www.nhs.uk/find-a-pharmacy.
Urgent treatment centres and walk-in centres provide same-day medical help when it’s not a life-threatening emergency. Some centres will be operating under reduced hours during the bank holidays. You can search for appointments via NHS 111, or check opening times here.
If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis, contact NHS 111 and select the mental health option to talk to a professional. You can also ring your local 24/7 mental health crisis helpline:
- Cheshire and Wirral (all ages): 0800 145 6485.
- Liverpool and Sefton (ages 16 and over): 0800 145 6570
- Liverpool and Sefton (under 18s): 0808 196 3550
- Halton, Knowsley, St Helens and Warrington (all ages): 0800 051 1508
Foodbanks
South Sefton Foodbank
St Leonards Youth & Community Centre
60 Peel Road, Bootle, Merseyside, L20 4RW
0151 933 1300 // info@southsefton.foodbank.org.uk // website
Southport Foodbank
Compassion Acts
Compassion Acts, 197a Sussex Road, PR8 6DG
01704 264 505 // foodbank@compassionacts.uk // website
Homeless Shelters & Support Services
For people who become homeless during the Christmas period , Sefton Council’s Health and Social Care Emergency Duty Team manages our out of hour’s service.
The service is for emergencies only and can give you general advice and will be able to assist you to find temporary emergency accommodation.
You can contact the Out of Hours service on 0151 934 3555
Monday to Thursday after 5.00pm
Friday after 4.15pm and any time at weekends and public holidays
Light for Life will be open over the Christmas period and you can 01704 501256 for more on their rough sleeper services.
The HUB will be open until Monday 23 December and again on Friday 27 December for housing advice, support around evictions, illegal evictions, landlord disputes, disrepair and assessments for individuals who are homeless and/or rough sleeping.
The Outreach service will be active over the Christmas period and can be contacted via the HUB on 01704 501256 or via 07918746042 or 07517103098. Out of Hours, the Emergency Duty Team will assist on 0151 934 3555.
The Health Inclusion Team will be available up to and including Tuesday 24 December and again from Friday 27 December for individuals in commissioned services who require urgent support around health matters. The HUB will be open until 23rd December and again on 27th December for Housing Advice, support around evictions, illegal evictions, landlord disputes, disrepair and assessments for individuals who are homeless and/or rough sleeping.
Our Outreach service will be active over the Christmas period and can be contacted via the HUB on 01704 501256 or on 07918746042/07517103098. Out of Hours, the Emergency Duty Team will assist on 0151 934 3555.
The Hospital In-reach Team will be available across the Christmas Period and will be in the hospital every day except Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Mental Health Support
In an emergency, or if you don’t feel that you can keep yourself safe, please contact 999 or visit A&E.
- For children, families or professionals contact the CAMHS Crisis Line to speak directly to a mental health practitioner on 0808 196 3550 or 0151 293 3577.
- For Childline call 0800 11 11
- NHS 24hr Urgent support helpline Sefton & Liverpool call the 24/7 freephone helpline: 0800 145 6570
Text support for anyone. Text HEAL to 85258 for immediate support, available 24/7. - For the Samaritans call 116 123
- CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) call 0800 585858 (5pm – midnight 365 days a year) or via their webchat: www.thecalmzone.net/help/webchat
Sefton Crisis Cafes
Our Crisis Cafe’s in both Southport and Crosby can provide out of hours mental health support over the Christmas period. Telephone support can be arranged during opening hours.
For more info: call 0300 323 0197 or email crisiscafe@seftoncvs.org.uk
Christmas Opening Hours
- Tuesday 24th December – Closed
- Wednesday 25th December – Closed
- Thursday 26th December – Closed
- Friday 27th December – 5pm – 11pm
- Saturday 28th December – 5pm – 11pm
- Sunday 29th December – 5pm – 11pm
2025
- Friday 3rd January – 5pm – 11pm
- Saturday 4th January – 5pm – 11pm
- Sunday 5th January – 5pm – 11pm
Normal operating hours will resume on Friday 3 January 2024.
We operate a drop-in for anyone struggling with their mental health, but we advise people to call us first on 0300 323 0197 to check availability. For more information please click here.
Parenting 2000
Parenting 2000 offices and Therapeutic Services, Youth Club, Early Help Family Support Work and Groups, will be closed on Friday 20 December 2024 and will re-open on Thursday 2 January 2025.
Over the festive period Sefton Mental Health Crisis Café will be operating at both centres (Southport & Crosby) and Christmas Shelter will be open at the Alchemy Southport building, more information is below:
Click here to download a copy of this poster.
Youth Community Partnership – Winter Holiday Club
Between Monday 23 December 2024 to Friday 3 January 2025, YCP at Meols Cop in Southport are offering the holiday and food (HAF) programme at their winter holiday club. The HAF programme is available to families in receipt of benefits related free school meals.
More information and contact details can be found on the flyer below;
Click here to download a copy of the poster
Useful Phone Numbers:
Police (Non-Emergency) – 101
NHS (Non-Emergency) – 111
Sefton Council Main Number (Switchboard) – 0345 140 0845
Children’s Social Care – 0151 909 1206
Adult Social Care – 0151 909 1523
Social Care Emergency Duty Team – 0151 934 3555
Sefton Carers Centre (helpline) – 0151 288 6060