Who We Are

We are a Southend based charity that was formed to support disabled young adults and teenagers the opportunity to meet their friends outside of school and college. We do provide support to young people who live in the surrounding areas of Southend e.g., Canvey Island, Rayleigh, Rochford, Hadleigh and Great Wakering.

The aim of Friends and Places is to seek friendships for isolated and vulnerable young adults within our community. We offer small friendships groups of up to 4 people depending on their disabilities and needs.

We changed our status of purpose in 2019 to ‘Everyone has a right to friends and a social life’ Since the impact of Covid we also recognise that for anyone it has been hard to go out and meet up with friends.

We have been offering services during Covid even it has been via whats app groups, zoom meetings or one to one to help people stay connected and to reduce isolation and support people with mental health that we have all been experiencing since the impact of Covid has affect us all and our community.

We have been working in Southend since 2011.

We have been a registered charity status since 2014 and before this we operated as a community interest company.

Company registered number 8554307
Charity registered number 1159584

We were known in 2012 as Break with Mates as well as Friends and Places now we are incorporated the
programmes into one organisation as Friends and Places Together