New Ealing Advice Service Launched

ESAS has been formed by a number of charities

A new service has been launched in Ealing to help vulnerable adults in need of support.

The Ealing Specialist Advice Surgery ''ESAS'', is a one stop shop and will be based at Age UK in West Ealing.

Organisers include the charities Ealing Mencap, DeafPlus, ECIL (Ealing Centre for Independent Living), AgeUK Ealing and MIND Ealing. The new facility is aimed at taking pressure off other strained local services by directing those with specialist needs to those who can help as quickly as possible.

ESAS begun operating last October, but has just been officially launched to coincide with the Mayor of London and Age UK's 'Know Your Rights' campaign, promoting benefit take-up among older people.

The Ealing Central and Acton MP, Rupa Huq, who was at the launch said:

''At a time when the Government are cutting funding for vital services that many Ealing residents depend on, I am delighted to be helping to launch ESAS. Ealing is one of the only London boroughs with no Citizens Advice Bureau and given the changes in government policy the queues at my advice surgeries will only be getting longer so I welcome ESAS.”

''The launch of ESAS ensures that those in Ealing most in need of assistance now have an organisation they can depend on for advice and guidance. This, in turn, will help to alleviate pressure on other local services. It’s great that they have a service that can receive texts which is quite unusual for an organisation of this type but recognises that many in the modern world no longer have landline phones.''

Matt Coulam of Ealing Mencap led the event and told attendees: ''ESAS is so vulnerable adults living in the borough are made aware of what the service can and cannot assist with. This includes local service providers, day services, health centres, faith groups, health and social care professionals, and councillors and MPs who may be interested in signposting constituents who attend their surgeries.''

Contact details: ESAS
Phone:    020 8579 8429 or 07837 186733
(Enquiries from 1/10/15 – 26/10/15 during office hours only)

Text:     07837 186 733

Email:     info@ealingsas.org.uk

8th March 2016