At Irish in Britain, we have been collaborating with our member organisations to offer community health events at different locations. Our most recent collaboration was with the London Irish Centre in Camden who hosted a Community Health Event on the 28 September.
The day was a great success with over 150 people at the event including 110 attendees and 50 staff.
The aim for this health event was to incorporate Covid-19 vaccines and health checks, but also give community members the opportunity to link in with other local organisations, surrounding health and wellbeing.
The London Irish Centre and Irish in Britain were delighted to receive the news that the NHS team carried out 54 health checks on the day and over 40 Covid-19 vaccinations.
There were over 50 diabetes risk checks completed, which included eight referrals into diabetes prevention programmes. The health event has been receiving positive feedback with one attendee commenting on the “very friendly staff and the doctors are patient unlike the GP surgery”.
NHS health checks
The London Irish Centre Community Health Event offered attendees the opportunity to receive free health checks, all Covid-19 and flu vaccinations including the new omicron Moderna bivalent vaccine, diabetes checks, BMI and blood pressure checks.
These were all provided by the NHS outreach team and the community health bus.
There were also 30 stalls dotted around the large MacNamara Hall, which provided the opportunity to discover the health and wellbeing supports within the local area and to find out about all the different community initiatives and services available.
Dan, Senior Outreach Officer for James Place, a suicide prevention service focussing on men facing a mental health crisis, had a stall at the event.
He said it was important for the organisation to be visible at such a community event: 'It's good to be here, if someone is concerned about a friend or family member, they may remember seeing us here and will know where to go for support'.
Stalls
A couple of the stall holders kindly offered free services to attendees, which was a wonderful addition to the day. Free foot health checks were provided by Sarah Finucane at Footworks and free massage tasters by Women and Health Camden.
Sarah said she was so “pleased to be part of this initiative to assist the health of older Irish in London”. She highlighted how foot health in older people is very important and how “a straightforward toenail cut, and removal of corns and hard skin enhances mobility”.
She also stressed how she hopes to “continue working with the Irish in Britain on future health clinics across London and Britain”.
A series of energetic and fun exercise tasters were held throughout the day by Stella from Dancing for Health which included Breath and Stretch, Leg Stretch, Balance and Move & Groove.
BOKA food who are a food company committed to making it easy to find great tasting healthier snacks came along to hand out tasters of their new cereal bars and sugar free marshmallows. Free fruit and refreshments were on offer and people .
People seeking a substantial meal were welcomed down to the community café where a homemade Irish stew was on the menu.
Partnership
Ciara Ward, the Senior Health Navigator and one of the main organisers of the event said:
“We are so pleased to have partnered with Irish in Britain to organise this brilliant day, we have received such amazing feedback from guests, stallholders and attendees alike.
The number of attendees shows us what a success Health Day has been, bringing us closer to achieving our shared goal of promoting and improving health in our local communities. Here's to more great partnership events in the future and creating a healthier community!”
Irish in Britain's Health Development Officer, Ellen Gavin said: "This event shows the positive impact that such community health initiative can have. Thank you to the NHS team in the hall and on the health bus, to the stall holders and most importantly, everyone who came along."
“We thoroughly enjoyed supporting the Community Health Event at the London Irish Centre. It was great to see so many people attend and discover more about the many local health services and community initiatives. Our BOKA bars went down a treat with the guests, and it was great to have the chance to speak about our range of healthier snacks!”.
-Hector, BOKA Food
"Today’s event was a success and one of a kind with so many types of health events under one roof. The health event organisers were super nice, lovely to work with they provided us with refreshments and health snacks and referred so many residents to us."
- Alice, the NHS Community Health Bus
A massive thank you to all of the wonderful stall holders who came along and made it the successful day that it was:
-NHS Sexual Health Team
-NHS Community Health Bus
-NHS Health check clinical team
-James’ Place Suicide support for men
-Footworks London Sarah Finucane
-Haemochromatosis UK
-Health Watch
Camden-Age Uk
-Age UK Islington
-ICAP Immigrant counselling & psychotherapy
-The Macular Society Macular Disease & Sight Loss
-Information and Advice team London Irish Centre
-Green Hearts Irish in Britain
-Kentish Town Sports Centre (better gym)
-C+I mental health foundation
-Third Age Project
-The Recovery College
Camden and Islington
-Likewise Community Centre Camden
-BOKA Food
-Breath NHS smoking cessation
-Perinatal Mental Health
-Women and Health Camden
-Westminster Drug project (WDP)
-Dance for Health
-WISH+ service Camden
-Families for Life
-Promoting healthy eating for families
-Air Quality Team Camden Council
Our next community health event is a collaboration with Ashford Place, Cricklewood.
If you would like to find out more, or are interested in running such an event in your community centre contact Ellen, Irish in Britain's Health Development Officer, health@irishinbritain.org