Health and Wellbeing at the Haven
This week, we were pleased to be able to host a Health and Wellbeing Day at the Haven in partnership with several other charities and support services, offering a wide range of health and advice services for vulnerable people supported by New Hope and anyone who wanted to attend from across Watford.
In addition to a typically hearty meal cooked by the Haven team, people receiving support from New Hope and our partners were able to get specialist advice and care from many essential services including:
Liver health scans and blood-borne virus testing from the NHS (who had a mobile surgery on-site)
Mental health advice and support from MIND
Support and advice with addiction and overdose awareness from Change, Grow, Live (CGL)
Sexual health advice, support and screening from Metro Charity
On-site haircuts from a CGL volunteer (who is also a trained hairdresser)
Manicures and skincare from a New Hope Winter Shelter volunteer (who is a qualified manicurist)
“It was wonderful to see the Haven building being used so positively 30 years after it was built. Staff from the many different agencies were all pleased to be supporting vulnerable people who were happy to engage with them - along with the excellent Haven team busy working away as they do every day.”
Dr Tim Robson, one of the founders of New Hope.
This event was built upon the foundations laid last year when the NHS mobile clinic visited the Haven for a day and was attended by many vulnerable people from New Hope and further afield. This time, with so many essential support services in one location (particularly one as well-known as the Haven), the number of people seeking key medical care, advice and support was outstanding with 42 people in attendance!
With the overwhelming success of this event, we can’t wait to do this again and bring easy access to a range of health and wellbeing services to some of the most vulnerable people in Watford.