Introducing the Advice and Membership Team

Following a recent internal restructure, we have a new team within the organisation, called the Advice and Membership Team.

We provide information and advice on a range of issues that affect disabled people. Examples of this could be how to access different services or how to make a complaint. We also provide support and engage with disabled people in Norfolk who are experiencing barriers to their independence. Our Disability Rights Officer and Membership Officer roles work in this area, assisting with people’s queries, as well as promoting and growing Equal Lives’ membership.

We work closely with a range of other advice agencies as part of the Norfolk Community Advice Network, so if we can’t help, we will try and find someone who can and signpost you or make a referral on your behalf, where needed.

We are beginning to develop a welfare benefit form fill service. Equal Lives used to be able to support people with completing various welfare benefit claim forms through our previous funding, which came to an end. However, we are aware that form filling is an area where lots of people still need advice and support with, and we want to be able to offer more assistance.

We are currently on the lookout for new volunteers to join our team to help us support people both remotely via the telephone or video call and at face-to-face appointments. Currently, we are only able to offer limited telephone appointments for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claim forms or renewals to residents of Norwich living in a NR1-NR7 postcode (which is the Norwich City Council boundary). We would love to be able to expand our availability to support. If you are interested in getting involved as a volunteer within our team to help with this aspect, then please get in touch by emailing: volunteers@equallives.org.uk or calling 01508 491210.

Our team also advises and supports people who have been referred into the Norwich and Broadland Social Prescribing service by roles such as Doctors and Nurses within GP surgeries. Social Prescribing is a way of enabling people to access a range of local, non-clinical services, so that needs can be addressed in a holistic way. We work in partnership with Norfolk Citizens’ Advice, and other local organisations to provide Social Prescribing and our Living Well Workers are our staff who provide advice and support to people referred.

Our staff team is currently made up of:

Lisa Lonergan – Membership Officer

Bethany Gallant – Disability Rights Officer

Anna Haggith – Living Well Worker (Social Prescribing)

Liz Anderson – Living Well Worker (Social Prescribing)

Susie Anderson – Living Well Worker (Social Prescribing)

Eddi Gell – Living Well Worker (Social Prescribing)

Sarah Little – Team Manager

If you feel our team may be able to offer you some assistance, our advice line is open 10 am-4 pm Monday to Friday - 01508 491210, or you can e-mail info@equallives.org.uk.