VISITS from an SOS bus are to become a staple in Harwich following successful support sessions provided in Clacton.

From Monday, the Open Road SOS bus will park up outside the Park Pavilion in Harwich between 10am and 3pm to offer support on a number of issues.

The idea of the bus is that all services are in one place, so residents can drop in and get support on a variety of topics including housing, health, alcohol and drugs.

Support for shopping, equipment, and mental health is also on offer and if the team doesn’t have the answer they will signpost people to the relevant agencies.

Organised in partnership with Shelter and Health Enlisting Local Support the bus, which is normally found on Colchester’s high street on a Friday and Saturday evening, was re-routed in December to Clacton’s Christmas Tree Island to support residents.

Linda Embleton, the local health advocate, is one member of the team providing support on the bus.

She said: “This has been a great initiative. Each week we get a large number of visitors and I know last week we directly provided support and assistance to nine people. “There is need across the whole of Tendring so it is really good news we are able to take the bus to Harwich and support residents there.”

In addition to Linda, on board the bus will be Open Road, a drug and alcohol recovery service, a mental health nurse and social prescribers from Community Voluntary Services Tendring.

There will also be Anglia Care Trust, Phoenix Horizons and charity NEST.