Support Services
With the Digital Access Support Team closing on 31 March 2026, we want to reassure you that support is still available. Below, you’ll find a range of services that can offer help across digital access, health, wellbeing, and community activities.
While our team isn’t connected with any of the services mentioned, we hope this information makes it easier for you to find the support that’s right for you.
AbilityNet
Information: Free digital skills training for people aged 55 and over, and disabled adults of any age. Training sessions are delivered at home or in a community setting. Up to three 2-hour sessions are available per person.
Contact details:
Paul K direct: 07365 625123
Helpline: 0300 180 0028
Website: AbilityNet
Action Fraud
Information: Report cybercrime and fraud online or by phone through the national reporting service run by the City of London Police.
Contact details:
0300 123 2040
Website: Report Fraud
Forward spam text messages to 7726
Active Essex
Information: Supports health and wellbeing, stronger communities and attractive local spaces to help people of all ages and abilities be active.
Contact details:
Website: Active Essex
Adult Community Learning (ACL)
Information: Digital skills workshops for work and life skills development, including courses linked to jobs, health and wellbeing.
Contact details:
0345 603 7635
Website: ACL Colchester
Barrack Street, Colchester, CO1 2LR
African Families in the UK (AFiUK)
Information: Supports British African diaspora and other racially minoritised families, particularly first- and second-generation migrant families.
Contact details:
01206 576612
Email: info@afiuk.org
Website: AFiUK
Colchester and Harwich based
Age Well East
Information: Digital skills support for people aged over 60 who are housebound or have limited mobility across Colchester and Tendring. This includes support with devices, apps, GP systems, WhatsApp, YouTube, FaceTime, online forms, online groups and Microsoft packages.
Contact details:
0300 373 3333
Email: enquires@agewelleast.org.uk
Website: Age Well East
Age Well in NEE
Information: A practical guide to ageing well in Colchester and Tendring, with tips, hints and service contacts.
Contact details:
Age Well in NEE guide (PDF)
Boys and Men Club
Information: Support with digital skills, education and training, employment, health and wellbeing and personal relationships for boys and young men.
Contact details:
01206 617013
Website: Boys and Men Club
Bridgeway Mission
Information: Supports minority families facing ethnic, cultural and linguistic barriers when they arrive in the UK from Middle Eastern and Eastern countries.
Contact details:
+44 7787 925227 (WhatsApp)
Website: Bridgeway Mission
Changing Lives Community Services
Information: Offers social, sporting and work experiences to build confidence and motivation for children and young people.
Contact details:
07495 696878
Website: Changing Lives Community Services
8 North House, Harlow, CM18 6PA
Colchester Catalyst Charity
Information: Supports groups providing services to people with medical conditions or disabilities living in the CO postcode area. It may also support individuals through equipment or respite care.
Contact details:
01206 323420
Email: info@colchestercatalyst.co.uk
Website: Colchester Catalyst Charity
Colchester IT
Information: A local recommendation for device repairs or servicing.
Contact details:
01206 634063
Website: Colchester IT
28 Bourne Road, Colchester, CO2 7LQ
Colchester Library
Information: Provides WiFi, computers, printing, scanning, photocopying, study space, room hire, battery recycling, registration services, quieter hour and disabled access. Activities include games morning, Block Builders’ construction club and teen creative writing group.
Contact details:
Website: Colchester Library
Trinity Square, Colchester, CO1 1JB
Colchester Life in the UK (CiC)
Information: Provides help and guidance to people who have come to the UK. Also provides maths and English tuition for children and adults.
Contact details:
07588 822763
Email: collifeuk.adm@gmail.com
Facebook: Life in the UK Colchester
Colchester Sight Centre
Information: Supports people living with sight loss or visual impairment to live fuller, more independent lives. Offers advice, assistive technologies and community support.
Contact details:
01206 548196
Email: services@essexsight.org.uk
Website: Essex Sight
Colchester Library, Lion Walk Precinct, Colchester, CO1 1LX
Community Tech Hub
Information: Provides digital literacy and fraud prevention through education and community support services.
Contact details:
Email: support@communitytechhub.org
Website: Community Tech Hub
Communities Together East Anglia
Information: Hosts monthly digital support sessions in community spaces across the county. Digital Champion volunteers offer help in a non-judgemental space where people can learn at their own pace.
Contact details:
01449 707030
Email: info@communitiestogether-ea.org
Website: Communities Together East Anglia digital support
Community Volunteer Services Tendring (CVST)
Information: IT support sessions in Clacton on Fridays from 1pm to 3pm for £2, and in Walton on Wednesdays from 1.30pm to 3pm for £2. Take your own laptop, tablet or phone. Booking is not required.
Contact details:
Website: CVST IT clubs and support
Imperial House, 20 to 22 Rosemary Road, Clacton-on-Sea, CO15 1NZ
The Columbine Centre, Prince’s Esplanade, Walton-on-the-Naze
Deaf Club
Information: A friendly group for people with different levels of hearing loss who meet once a month on a Saturday at The Oak Tree Centre in Colchester.
Contact details:
Facebook: Colchester Deaf Club
Website: Colchester Deaf Club website
Essex Community Foundation
Information: Provides grants and sustainable funding support for organisations. Works with individuals, families, businesses and charitable trusts, linking them with local groups.
Contact details:
01245 355947
Email: grants@essexcf.org.uk
Website: Essex Community Foundation
Essex Wellbeing
Information: Provides Essex residents with health and wellbeing support, workplace wellbeing sessions and training.
Contact details:
0300 303 9988
Website: Essex Wellbeing
Friends of the Elderly
Information: Provides grants for older people on low incomes. Also runs care homes, day care services and a grant programme across England and Wales.
Contact details:
020 7730 8263
Email: enquiries@fote.org.uk
Website: Friends of the Elderly grants
Frontline
Information: Helps frontline workers and the public find local health and wellbeing services, including callback and referral options.
Contact details:
Website: Frontline
MENCAP
Information: Supports people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives. Includes an easy read guide on how to protect yourself against scams.
Contact details:
Website: MENCAP scam protection guide
All information and links were correct at the time of printing: 1 April 2026.
A digital world accessible to all | AbilityNet
Mercury Maynard
Information: A local recommendation for computer services and IT support. They specialise in technology solutions and IT services for businesses of different sizes.
Contact details:
01206 615323
Email: hello@mercurymaynard.co.uk
Website: Mercury Maynard
3 Oak House, Vale View Business Units, Crown Lane South, Ardleigh, Colchester, CO7 7PL
National Cyber Security Centre
Information: Provides resources for organisations and individuals to recover from a cyber attack and improve online resilience. The website includes an online crime reporting form.
Contact details:
Website: National Cyber Security Centre
Forward scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk
Refugee, Asylum and Migrant Action (RAMA)
Information: Supports refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants as they rebuild their lives in the UK. Offers guidance, dignity and practical help through different stages of the integration process.
Contact details:
01206 638454
Email: rama@rama.org.uk
31 Eld Lane, Colchester, CO1 1LS
Signpost – Greenstead
Information: Provides support with digital skills, employability and the cost of living through a client-centred approach.
Contact details:
01206 861800
Email: spg@sign-post.info
Website: Signpost Greenstead
1st Floor, The Library, Hawthorne Avenue, Colchester, Essex, CO4 3QE
Signpost – Jaywick
Information: Provides support with digital skills, employability and the cost of living through a client-centred approach.
Contact details:
01255 688689
Email: spt@sign-post.info
Website: Signpost Jaywick
Jaywick Enterprise Centre, Unit 5, Lotus Way, Jaywick, CO15 2LU
Tendring Library
Information: Provides general library services including registration, study space, printing, scanning, WiFi and room hire. Activities in Clacton include chess club, craft table, book groups, Knit and Natter, Stay and Play, Scrabble club, coffee mornings, Rummikub club and Block Builders. Activities in Harwich include reading groups, Block Builders, Knit and Natter, and Warhammer Club.
Contact details:
Website: Tendring libraries
Clacton Library, Station Road, CO15 1SF
Harwich Library, Upper Kingsway, CO12 3JT
All information and links were correct at the time of printing: 1 April 2026.
Have a laptop to donate or request a laptop for clients
Contact Digital Essex to ask about donating laptops for repurposing and redistribution.
You can also ask about receiving a device for yourself or for someone linked to your organisation.
Contact details:
Email: digital@essex.gov.uk
Website: About Digital Essex
Laptop is Windows 10 and needs updating to Windows 11
Since October 2025, Windows 10 is no longer supported unless you pay for an extended critical security update for up to 1 year, until 13 October 2026.
If a device cannot be upgraded to Windows 11, the software update will show a message confirming this.
The options available are:
- Seek IT support to check whether the device can be upgraded or whether it is too old. Charges are likely to apply.
- Update your own laptop to a Chromebook for free.
This video explains the process:
How to update your laptop to a Chromebook
Note: you will need a 16GB USB device to install the software.
Good Things Foundation
Good Things Foundation is the UK’s leading digital inclusion charity. Its digital inclusion services help people use and access the internet and technology, through organisations in communities across the country that are part of the National Digital Inclusion Network.
These include:
- Digital inclusion network – National Digital Inclusion Network
- National Databank – National Databank
- National Device Bank – National Device Bank
- Learn My Way – Learn My Way
Main website: Good Things Foundation
All information and links were correct at the time of printing: 1 April 2026.
NHS App (NHS Digital) contact information
NHS Digital customer service is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, except Wednesdays when it opens at 9.30am. It is closed on public holidays.
Main contact details:
Email: enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0300 303 5678
Website: NHS App – NHS Digital
NHS Digital also operates other service desks that may be able to help with technical enquiries. The NHS Digital service desks cannot offer support or guidance relating to NHS App enquiries.
Read more about NHS Digital contact options
NHS Digital enquiries
Deals with enquiries about: General enquiries
Telephone: 0300 303 5678
Email: enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk
NHS App team
Deals with enquiries about: NHS App features, data and information
Contact details:
NHS App contact us
Cyber security
Deals with enquiries about: Reporting cyber security concerns
Telephone: 0300 303 5035
Email: ssd.nationalservicedesk@nhs.net
Exeter helpdesk
Deals with enquiries about: OpenExeter
Email: exeter.helpdesk@nhs.net
NHS national service desk
Deals with enquiries about: Spine, Secondary Uses Service (SUS) and National Back Office
Telephone: 0300 303 4034
Email: ssd.nationalservicedesk@nhs.net
Developer help and support
Deals with enquiries about: Software development projects using NHS APIs
Contact details:
Developer help and support
Email (forgotten)
Deals with enquiries about: Forgotten log on details
Contact details:
Managing your NHS App account
All information and links were correct at the time of printing: 1 April 2026.
Rafiki Community CIC
Deals with enquiries about: Creating safe spaces, providing holistic care, education including digital support, and the celebration of culture and heritage for migrants with lived and living experiences of trauma.
Telephone: +44 (0)7958173887
Email: joyce@rafiki.community
Website: www.rafiki.community
Page last reviewed: 24 March 2026