Community Front Rooms Near You

Dorchester becomes the latest Dorset town to welcome a Community Front Room (CFR), giving adults a welcoming place to access mental health support - no referral, diagnosis or appointment needed. Staff, partner services and the local community came together for the launch of the new hub in January to celebrate its opening.

Community Front Rooms are designed for people who may be feeling overwhelmed, distressed or approaching a mental health crisis. Visitors can simply drop in and get support on their own terms. 

“The Community Front Room is a warm, welcoming, non-clinical space. If somebody is approaching or in mental health crisis, we’re there on hand.” Shelly Hamon, Business Manager for BCHA’s Mental Health Services across Dorset. 

Unlike traditional services, Community Front Rooms are designed to feel informal and comfortable and like a front room, not a clinic. 

Tasha, Senior Practitioner at the Dorchester Community Front Room, explained “It’s designed to feel relaxed and welcoming. It’s a drop-in mental health service for people who need support.” 

The service is particularly aimed at supporting people who may be reaching crisis points but haven’t quite got there yet, helping to prevent situations from escalating. 

How to access support 

Adults aged 18 and over can: 

• Drop in to their local Community Front Room 
• Use the Attend Anywhere virtual drop-in service if attending in person isn’t possible 

Community Front Rooms are delivered through a partnership between Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust, BCHA, Hope Charity and Burrough Harmony, working together to provide support across Dorset. 

Support for students: University Front Room

Arts University Bournemouth and Bournemouth University students can also access the same support on the Talbot campus, in the University Front Room (formerly the University Retreat). The service recently celebrated 3 years of supporting students, with more than 5,652 support visits. 

Find out more 

For opening times, locations and virtual access details, visit the Dorset HealthCare website.

For more information on the University Front Room, visit the Bournemouth University website.