Lancaster District Directory
The Lancaster District Directory helps our local population find and get in touch with essential services provided by community groups, the NHS and our local authorities.
It lists groups, classes, activities and advice sessions covering health, fitness, mental wellbeing, money and accommodation problems, food provision, jobs and skills – and much more.
This page describes the project and contains information for organisations interested in taking part. To explore the listed services, visit and bookmark directory.lancastercvs.org.uk
Project purpose
This initiative is intended to help the public, and people who work to support their communities, understand what is on offer in our local area for those who need help relating to any aspect of their lives.
Service listings include full descriptions, contact information and referral instructions, and are categorised for easy browsing, meaning that people have a one-stop-shop for sources of support.
The project also facilitates referrals into services, allowing staff at GP surgeries and Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust to link patients up with organisations who can support their non-clinical needs. Patients are referred into into LDCVS, where our staff contact them directly to find out more about their needs and support them to access relevant local provision.
Some patients may also be able to access support with public transport expenses and session fees, helping those who would otherwise find it difficult to cover these costs.
LDCVS is encouraging all our voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise colleagues to make their services visible to the public, and take advantage of this great new opportunity to engage with people who could benefit from their work.
To find out more, ask questions, or request to join the directory as a service provider, simply email [email protected] or call 01524 555900.
For our communities
- Discover what is out there to support your needs using your phone, tablet or computer
- Search or browse online using categories and keywords, or see what’s available close to home with a map and postcode search
- Get accurate and up-to-date information including opening times and contact details
- Book directly into sessions and activities where the provider chooses to support this
- Share information about services with your friends and family
For voluntary sector organisations
- Participate at no cost to your organisation
- It doesn’t matter whether your work relates physical or mental health, children & young people, money & housing, food, social support, or something else entirely – all services are welcome
- List drop-ins, online or telephone support, workshops, services by appointment, regular meetings, events and courses
- Choose to accept referrals from GP surgeries (mediated by a hub at LDCVS) and individual users, or just list your activities for signposting purposes
- Manage your service and activity listings directly, or send updates to LDCVS by email.
- Gain better visibility for your services, closer working relationships, and data to help prove your impact
- Help your service users by signposting to sources of additional support
Funders and Partners
The Digital Directory project has been made possible thanks to a £75,165 grant from the Bay Health & Care Partners Population Health Investment Fund. The grant provides for software licences and development, training and support, and staff time within LDCVS to promote participation and administer referrals.
A further grant from Lancashire & South Cumbria Integrated Care Board is supporting integration of LSCFT staff as referral agents alongside funding to help reduce the cost of transport and session fees for those finding it difficult to access services.
The project steering group includes representatives from Morecambe Bay CCG, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay, Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, Lancaster City Council and LDCVS, who have all committed to work together to make the project a success.
