Essential Needs
Food banks
Interactive Map
This map, produced by the Stockton Food Power Network (SFPN), shows locations of local food banks, food pantries, and other support resources.
SFPN produces new leaflets regularly with information about food support, which are available for download on the SFPN webpage. The leaflets are also available in Arabic.
Clothing banks
Interactive Map
This map shows information about local clothing banks. Some of them also offer school uniforms.
The information for this map was taken from the Stockton Borough Council's webpage on clothing banks.
School Uniforms
Public toilets
From the website:
The project aims to map all publicly-accessible toilets - that means all toilets that the public can access without needing to be a customer.
This includes:
public toilets
toilets in train stations, bus stations, service/petrol stations, tube stations, ferry terminals, airports and other transport networks
shopping centre toilets
toilets in public buildings, such as town halls, libraries, hospitals, museums and leisure centres
toilets in other businesses where the business agrees that the public can use their toilets without having to buy anything. These are often part of Community Toilet Schemes (run by councils) and can include shops, cafes, supermarkets, restaurants, hotels and pubs.
We try not to show toilets where you need to ask permission to use it, such as those that are for customers-only. The exception is platform-side toilets at stations. These are only accessible to ticket-holders but we feel it is still useful information, particularly when many trains don’t have toilets onboard.
Free Period Products
Sanitary products such as towels and tampons are expensive.
Please see the service called "TEXT FLO" to access them for free from Wellington Square, in Stockton.
What to do:
Go to Wellington Square
Head to a toilet within the centre and text 'Flo’ to the number on the back of the door in the toilet. (You can find these toilets using the map on The Great British Toilet Map website above.)
You will then get a delivery of free period products to your cubicle.
Doctors/Healthcare
"Arrival provides free, confidential health care. We also have a specialist service for newly arrived asylum seekers in the Stockton-On-Tees area."
This guide from the UK Government explains how the NHS operates, entitlements to NHS services, and explores a range of topics related to healthcare.
The Minor Ailment Scheme enables a pharmacist to diagnose and treat minor ailments for free from the pharmacy, without the need to see a GP. This means your pharmacist will be able to offer expert advice in a more timely manner, especially as pharmacies are often open longer than GP surgeries. If you are eligible and treatment for your minor ailment is covered, you can receive medicine free of charge.
This is a GP Access Card for England.
"This card outlines that everyone in England is entitled to register and receive treatment from a GP practice, without providing proof of address or ID.
On the back of the card is the NHS England and NHS Improvement Customer Contact Centre number, for people to use if they have been refused registration."
You can find more information about this card from in the Migrant Health Guide, under the heading 'GP services.'
Digital_GP_Access_Card.pdf
"This e-learning course is around looking after your health, how the health system works in the UK, and how you can get help if you need it."
Refugees are five times more likely to have mental health needs than the general UK population. This can be due to traumatic experiences and feelings of isolation once they have arrived to safety. You don't have to deal with these things alone.
There are a lot of things you can do to support your mental health. Click the link above to visit a page with information on mental health and support resources.