Healthy Living Centre

Shepherds Bush Healthy Living Centre

The Healthy Living Centre for Shepherds Bush is a community based health improvement initiative made up of 19 local partners, hosted by the Shepherds Bush Housing Association. In March 2001 the New Opportunities Fund awarded the project £1 million over 5 years, with match funding from the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) through Regenasis and others, to tackle health inequalities in the four wards in North Hammersmith - College Park and Old Oak, Wormholt and White City, Shepherds Bush Green and Askew.

The initiative has four themes:

Access and Participation
Healthy Lifestyles
Improving the Environment
Tackling Health Inequalities

White City Health Centre

The physical focus for the project is the White City Health Centre (WCHC). As part of the project this has been refurbished to provide service users with a more friendly and welcoming environment and promote the centre as a community resource. In addition, a separate discreet entrance has been created to offer young people more accessible sexual health and drug service drop-ins.

Although the White City Health Centre will be the base for the project the model is very much based on outreach services working with the community in informal settings.

Current Projects

1. Druglink Peer Education Programme
2. Community Nutrition
3. Exercise on Prescription
4. Early Years Health Worker
5. Carers
6. Housing Adaptations
7. Hammersmith & Fulham HOPE
8. Lifeskills

Druglink Peer Education Programme

Aim:
Increase young peoples' understanding of drugs and alcohol issues.

Location:
Druglink,The Old Coach House, 103a Devonport Road London W12 8PB

Agencies Involved:
Druglink

What the project offers:
The Peer Education programme (PEP) provides young people, aged between 13 and 18, with the opportunity to learn more about drugs and alcohol with the aim that they will be able to pass on accurate information to their friends and peers. The programme runs over a period of six weeks - one late afternoon/early evening (5.30 - 7.00 pm) per week and is lead by an experienced drugs/youth worker supported by other specialists. Refreshments and food will be provided during sessions and upon completion, participants will receive a certificate.

The main areas of the programme are:

• Drug, alcohol and tobacco awareness
• Peer influence
• Substance use and the law
• Substance use and health
• Self-confidence
• Communication skills

A range of different methods are used to put the information across including the use of CD ROMS, videos, games and more formal discussion.

For more information, please contact 020 8749 6799 or Druglink@aol.com

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Community Nutrition

Aim:
To improve health and health/diet awareness and eating habits of the local community through activities and health promotion initiatives.

Location:
White City Health Centre but many activities are at local venues within the community.

Agencies Involved:
Dietetic Department of Hammersmith & Fulham Primary Care Trust

What the project offers:
The project leaders work with the local community to improve knowledge of food and nutrition along with practical skills like cooking, shopping etc. and to improve better access to foods in general by developing a local food co-operative.

The project leaders have undertaken an assessment of the community needs and initiatives to include:

• Cook and eat nutrition education sessions
• Cookery and shopping skills courses
• Discussion groups and informal drop-in sessions to discuss food and nutrition
• Displays
• Food co-operatives and food provision

Contact:
Diana Hawdon, Mobile: 07811 351741
Eve Bevan, Telephone: 020 8846 6441 or Mobile: 07811 351732

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Exercise on Prescription

Aim:
To provide exercise sessions to people who have experienced Coronary Heart Disease,
stroke or who have disabilities, through GP referral.

Location:
Various

Agencies Involved:
Health Enterprise Project, Agewell and LBHF Sports Development.

What the project offers:
Through GP referral, an exercise programme with trained fitness instructors at a reduced price.

How to access it:
Contact your local GP.

Contact:
Paul Collins
Telephone: 020 8743 4967
Mobile: 07961 322506

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Early Years Health Worker

Aim:
To work with White City Health Centre to develop links enabling families with young children to gain improved access to health and social care services.

Location:
Randolph Beresford Early Years Centre, Australia Road, London W12 7PH.

Agencies Involved:
Randolph Beresford Early Years Centre. Hammersmith & Fulham Primary Care Trust

What the project offers:
Outreach service to community groups and parents offering advice from professionals on nutrition, sleep, feeding, benefits and other health issues. Liaison between relevant organisations such as Hammersmith Hospital.

Contact:
Early Years Health Worker at Randolph Beresford Early Years Centre on 020 8743 7339.

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Carers

Aim:
To provide support to carers, including young carers and black and ethnic minority carers in the Healthy Living Centre area.

Location:
Hammersmith & Fulham Carers Centre 182a Hammersmith Road London W6 7DJ.

Agencies Involved:
Hammersmith & Fulham Carers Centre, Hammersmith & Fulham Community Health Council

What the Project Offers:
Advice, information, social and recreational activities, advocacy and support to access other services for carers.

Activities include:
Fundraising events organised by volunteers Reflexology, Head Massage, Young carers activities such as swimming, cinema, bowling, Support scheme.

Contact:
Tina Cotis Mobile - 07811351740
Telephone 020 85638014/8019

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Housing Adaptations

Aim:
To increase the mobility around the home for older people and people with disabilities that are tenants of Shepherds Bush Housing Association or Notting Hill Housing Trust.

Location:
Various

Agencies Involved:
Shepherds Bush Housing Association, Notting Hill Housing Trust.

Contact:
Graham Raine (Staying Put Services, part of the Shepherds Bush Housing Group)
Tel 020 8206890
or
Helen Kenwright (Notting Hill Housing Trust)
Tel 020 83575212

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Hammersmith & Fulham HOPE (Healthy Older People Empowerment)

Aim:
To support older people aged 50+ in Hammersmith & Fulham to make informed choices about their health and to access services, to maximise opportunities for this work within the Shepherds Bush Healthy Living Centre area and to support Better Government for Older People.

Location:
TBA

Contact details as below. Volunteers are home based.

Agencies Involved:
West London Health Promotion Agency, Age Concern Hammersmith & Fulham

What the project offers:
Volunteer health mentors (HOPE Volunteers) work with other older people to raise awareness of health issues with specific reference to heart health, cancer prevention, injury prevention, promoting independence and access to services. Volunteers are available to undertake one-to-one sessions, group sessions and informal drop-in sessions.

How to access it:
Telephone or fax to arrange a HOPE session.

Contact:
Volunteer Coordinator, Age Concern, Hammersmith & Fulham, 105 Greyhound Road London, W6 8NJ
Telephone 0207 3869085
Fax 02073865740
Email mail@ageconcernh-f.fsnet.co.uk

Or,

Eve McIlmoyle
West London Health Promotion Agency
5-7 Parsons Green
London
SW6 4UT
Tel 02088466785

Venue:
Volunteers available to work in venues across Hammersmith & Fulham. Age Concern Hammersmith & Fulham can be used as a central meeting point by arrangement.

The Healthy Older People Empowerment (HOPE) Project can offer group sessions on healthy living for Older People.

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Lifeskills

Aim:
To help single, homeless people in crisis. To organise life skills such as cooking, washing, and budgeting for residents. To enable residents to feel more confident about moving into more independent accommodation.

Location:
Broadway Healthy Living Centre
14 Market Lane, off Goldhawk Road
London
W12 8EZ
St.Mungos, Flat 1, Oaklands House
Old Oak Common Lane, London NW10 6DU

Agencies Involved:
St Mungos, Broadway Healthy Living Centre

What the Project Offers:
Life skills in the direct access hostel, help with budgeting, cooking/nutrition groups and one to one sessions around issues from living alone.

How to access it:
By being a resident in the hostel or adjacent flats of Broadway or St Mungos.

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