Using the search bar lets you search using any combination of category, keywords and location.

• Category - use this if you know the type of results you want to find (e.g. adult care and support services, families information, local offer)

• Keywords - type one or more words to describe what you are looking for (e.g. childminder, alzheimers support, swimming)

• Location - use this to find results near a location.  Try a place name such as Oakham, or postcode (LE15 6HP or PE9)

Searching by Keyword

Typing in a word or a few words into the Keywords box will bring back all entries that contain at least one of the words you have entered. 

You can also use special characters to limit your results more closely.

If you use the plus sign (+) before your keyword, then any records in your results must contain that keyword. 

For example, if you searched for ‘+housing +advice’ then only records that contain both of the words housing and advice would be shown in your search results.

Using double quotes (") around your search keywords brings back only results that contain those words as an exact phrase, for example:

"badminton club"

Using search filters

Once you have your search results, you can use the search filters displayed in lists to the left of your results to narrow your search down further.

These filters allow you to limit results by subject area (such as 'Money Matters'), and by user group (such as 'Carers') and so on. The more use you make of the filters, the more focussed your results will be.

Sorting your search results

You can change the sort order of your search results using the options that are shown in the section just above your results.

Depending on the type of search that you have done, your results can appear in any of the following sort orders:

• Sorted by relevance (i.e. the best match to your search)
• Sorted alphabetically (i.e. in A-Z order of title with numbers first)
• Sorted by distance (only if you have done a full postcode search)