The responsibilities of being a carer do not stop at Christmas and often they can become more challenging as the services we rely on close their doors for a week or more.
Here is a list of Christmas opening times for local services and projects. There are also some alternatives here that can help in an emergency.
Planning ahead can make a big difference, for example, Foodbanks often provide extra groceries in advance to cover the week they are closed.
If you are in urgent need over the Christmas week, North Tyneside Council are the people to contact for money, food, homelessness or major house repairs.
Adult and Children’s Social Care services are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. If you need urgent help on the big public holidays or after 5.00 pm, or at the weekend, call the Out-of-Hours-Team on 03303337475..
Money and Emergencies over Christmas
If you are in crisis and have no food or utilities, please contact the Welfare Team on 0191 643 2777 and select option 2. Open over Christmas on Tuesday 24 December, Friday 27 December, Monday 30 December, Tuesday 31 December.
For Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Tear’s Day, or after 5.00 pm or at the weekend call the Out-of-Hours-Team for help:
03303337475
Help through Hardship are a partnership between the Trussell Trust and the Citizens Advice Bureau. They can help with money or food crises and arrange food parcels or energy vouchers. Call their free, confidential helpline on 0808 208 2138 to speak to a friendly adviser. The helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. Closed on the Christmas public holidays.
If they are unavailable call North Tyneside Council instead on 0191 6432777 and press option 2, Out of Hours 03303337475
This NHS service is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including the whole Christmas period.
An all-round NHS telephone and online service to 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. Call 111 or go online: https://111.nhs.uk/
For people experiencing a mental health crisis and their carers. This service is usually available through the whole Christmas peiod and you can contact them without a referral.
The North Tyneside team operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
The NHS Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team offers assessment and home treatment for people over 16 experiencing a mental health crisis, as an alternative to hospital admission. However, the crisis team does not provide an ’emergency’ service such as a 999 response.
People experiencing a mental health crisis and carers can call: 0800 652 2861 or 0303 123 1146
Here is a list of the pharmacies available in North Tyneside on the public holidays. Thanks to Healthwatch North Tyneside.
Christmas day, 25 December
Burradon Pharmacy 33-34 Front Street, Camperdown, NE12 5UT – 10:00-13:00
Albion Road Pharmacy 18 Albion Road, North Shields, NE29 0HT – 14:00-17:00
Whitley Bay Pharmacy 116 Park View, Whitley Bay, NE26 3QL – 14:00-17:00
Boxing day, 26 December
Battle Hill Pharmacy Battle Hill Walk in Centre, Belmont Close, Wallsend, NE28 9DX – 10:00-13:00
Fairmans Pharmacy Wallsend 22-24 High Street West, Wallsend, NE28 8HU – 14:00-17:00
Boots UK Whitley Rd. 154 Whitley Road, Whitley Bay, NE26 2NA – 14:00-17:00
New Years Day, 1 January
Seaton Burn Pharmacy 36 Bridge Street, Seaton Burn, NE13 6EN – 10:00-13:00
D And C Fenwick Limited 9 Farringdon Road, Cullercoats, NE30 3ER – 14:00-17:00
Tesco Coast Rd Store, Norham Road, North Shields, NE29 7U – 14:00-17:00
You can see the full list of opening hours across the North East and North Cumbria here
Refuge provides support and advice if you are encountering a situation involving domestic violence. They can provide information if you need to find a refuge.
The freephone, 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247
Food and Heating
If you are accessing The Bay Foodbank for the first time you will need a referral from either Citizens Advice 0808 278 7822 or North Tyneside Council on 0191 643 2777 then option 2.
From Friday 20th December to Thursday 2nd January contact the Council Welfare Team (Office hour) 0191 643 2777 or Out of Hours 0330
The Bay Foodbank provides food parcels that are picked up or delivered to a home if it is necessary.
The Bay Foodbank, Meadow Well Way, North Shields, NE29 6BA
The Bread and Butter Thing has 5 social supermarkets across North Tyneside providing donated and subsidised shopping. Typically a week’s shopping can be bought at a quarter to a third of the price of a normal supermarker.
The Shiremoor, Fordely and Whitley Bay hubs are affected by Christmas public holidays.They have alternative shopping days which are –
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- Shiremoor, Tuesday 24th December 13:30 service time
- Fordley, Tuesday 17th December 13:45 service time
- Whitley Bay, Friday 27th December 13:30 service time
These hubs will keep their usual collection dates:
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- St Aidan’s Church, Billy Mill La, Tynemouth, North Shields, NE29 8AW – Mondays 14:30-15:00
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- Family Gateway, Howdon Community Hub, NE28 0PP-Fridays 13:30-14:00
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You can join the Bread and Butter Thing by Texting 07860 063 304 with your full name, postcode, and the name of the hub you will be collecting from.
Cedarwood provides a range of community services and food projects in Meadowell, North Shields.
The project will be taking a Christmas break from Thursday19th December and re-opens on Monday 6th January.
Based in Wallsend, Walking With provides support to asylum seekers and refugees in North Tyneside.
They are open until Tuesday 24th December and return on 6th January. The people who access their food service will receive double food and extras before the Christmas break.
Warm Welcome is a great scheme with local libraries and community organisations offering a warm space and free hot drinks over the winter. Just go in and spend some time in a warm, friendly place.
The main libraries in North Tyneside are open for most of the Christmas fortnight. They are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day
- Wallsend
- North Shields
- Whitley Bay
- White Swan Centre
- Oxford Centre, Longbention
To see the map of all Warm Welcome Locations and the days when refreshments are available click here.
Mental Health Support
MIND
Call Mind’s support line on 0300 102 1234
This is a safe space for you to talk about your mental health. Their advisors are trained to listen to you and help you find specialist support if you need it.
Open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (except bank holidays).
Samaritans
You can contact Samaritans 24 hours a day, 365 days a year:Call 116 123 (free from any phone)
Call the Samaritans Welsh Language Line on 0808 164 0123 (7pm–11pm every day)
Email jo@samaritans.org
Visit some branches in person
Samaritans is there for anyone who wants to talk.
SANEline
If you’re experiencing a mental health problem or supporting someone else, you can call SANEline on 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm–10pm every day).
National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK
Offers a supportive listening service to anyone with thoughts of suicide. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK on 0800 689 5652 (6pm to midnight every day).
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM)
You can call the CALM on 0800 58 58 58 (5pm–midnight every day) if you’re affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts. Or if you prefer not to speak on the phone, you could try the CALM webchat service.
Shout
If you would prefer not to talk but want some mental health support, you could text SHOUT to 85258. Shout offers a confidential 24/7 text service providing support if you are in crisis and need immediate help.
Papyrus HOPELINEUK
If you’re under 35 and struggling with suicidal feelings, or concerned about a young person who might be struggling, you can call Papyrus HOPELINEUK on 0800 068 4141 (24 hours, 7 days a week), email pat@papyrus-uk.org or text 07786 209 697.
Beat Eating Disorders
Helpline for people who experience an eating disorder and need support. Open over the Christmas period..
0808 801 0677
They also offer a One-to-one webchat. Go to their website
The Silver Line Helpline is a free, confi-dential telephone service run by Age UK, providing friendship, conversation and support for older people.
Lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Telephone: 08004708090
North Tyneside Community Hubs and Libraries
| Opening hours | |||||||||
| Hub | Tues 24 Dec | Wed 25 Dec | Thurs 26 Dec | Fri 27 Dec | Sat 28 Dec | Sun 29 Dec | Mon 30 Dec | Tues 31 Dec | Wed 1 Jan |
| Wallsend | 9am to 3pm | Closed | Closed | 9am to 5.30pm | 9am to 1pm | Closed | 9am to 5.30pm | 9am to 3pm | Closed |
| North Shields | 9am to 3pm | Closed | Closed | 9am to 5.30pm | 9am to 1pm | Closed | 9am to 5.30pm | 9am to 3pm | Closed |
| Whitley Bay | 9am to 3pm | Closed | Closed | 9am to 5.30pm | 9am to 1pm | Closed | 9am to 5.30pm | 9am to 3pm | Closed |
| White Swan Centre | 8.30am to 3pm | Closed | Closed | 8.30am to 6.30pm | 8.30am to 1pm | Closed | 8.30am to 6.30pm | 8.30am to 3pm | Closed |
| John Willie Sams Centre | 8.30am – 5pm (Library open until 3pm) | Closed | Closed | 8.30am to 6.30pm | 8.30am to 5pm (Library open until 1pm) | Closed | 8.30am to 7.30pm | Open 8.30am to 5pm (Library open until 3pm) | Closed |
| Oxford Centre | 7.30am to 8pm (Library open until 3pm) | Access to medical services only 10am to 2pm | Access to medical services only 9am to 5pm | 7.30am to 8pm (Library open until 5pm) | 7.30am to 8pm (Library open until 1pm) | 9.30am to 4pm | 7.30am to 8pm | 7.30am to 8pm (Library open until 3pm) | Access to medical services only 9am to 5pm |