Author: Fran Arnold

Darnall Well Being launches as Community Hub during Covid-19

Poster announcing the DWB is acting as a Community Hub during Covid-19

Darnall Well Being officially launched as a Community Hub, with a dedicated hotline and email account in April 2020. Our approach is to keep in touch with our existing volunteers and people we have supported previously, support everyone in the community in staying well at home, and maintain 2-way communication with statutory partners. We have been linked in to the citywide Voluntary Care Sector picture and Voluntary Action Sheffield Hubs calls from the outset.

We have taken on an enabling and facilitating approach to helping people get the support they need, rather than i.e. offering shopping and delivery services.

Photo of printed sheets in stacks, ready to be put together as activity packs
Activity packs ready to be put together for delivery

Darnall Well Being are committed to providing a remote / virtual community wellbeing programme and continuing our Social Prescribing Service remotely. Our approach is developing over time and includes online messaging, positive wellbeing information and public health guidance shared on social media accounts. We are sending out activity packs and newsletters regularly, and have a team rota for staying in touch with group beneficiaries (walkers, conversation club, diabetes/chronic pain group, carers, dementia café, allotment users, craft group, ladies chairobics, cycling etc).

Photo of a table set for afternoon tea, with the contents of a VE Day themed activity pack
Our VE Day Invitation to Remember and activity pack

It’s good to get the activity pack with something positive to do.  Darnall Well Being have done so well, not just forgetting us.  It is so nice to know we are thought about and the phone calls make a really big difference.

Hazel, volunteer and group attendee

Our digital volunteer Wellbeing Champions are involved with our Communication and Engagement Worker in exploring ideas to stay connected with the community. Watch this space for future news on what we have been doing!

Ahsan – Volunteering with DWB

Photo of volunteer Ahsan

Ahsan has volunteered with us for several years, and wrote a blog piece here about her experience of being with us.

Photo of volunteer Ahsan
Ahsan has volunteered with DWB for several years

I started volunteering with Darnall Wellbeing during a college placement. I thoroughly enjoyed the placement year and was given the opportunity to stay with DWB as a volunteer. I took part in different training courses which gave me the development skills to become a ‘health champion’ and ‘helping hand’. With this upgrade I was able to take part in different areas of volunteering within the community.

I had a lot of group work to take part in as well as plenty one-to-one work with clients. This helped me develop my confidence skills drastically, as well as team work skills. Progressing as a volunteer, I am now able to plan, deliver and lead nutrition/health sessions to specific groups in the community. 4 years ago I would not have had the courage to do this or ask for the opportunity.

I really love working with the staff members at DWB – they are all very welcoming and approachable. I would recommend anyone to volunteer with DWB, especially if you want to develop your own personal skills or if you would like to join some activities when you have free time. There is something for everybody.

Our Activity Schedules

Our activity schedules for Darnall and Tinsley are below. Please be aware that we took the difficult decision to suspend all our face to face activities in March 2020 and they will not resume until it is safe to do so. If you are interested in finding out more about a particular activity, please contact us to register your interest and find out more.

Photo of Darnall Activity Schedule
Darnall Activity Schedule
Photo of Tinsley Activity Schedule
Tinsley Activity Schedule

You can download PDF versions of our activity schedules here:

Darnall Activity Programme – 18th February 2020Download
Tinsley Activity Programme – March 2020Download

Darnall Allotment Project

We have been involved with Darnall Allotment Project, at the allotments at Infield Lane, for some time. Our dementia group are there regularly as part of our “On Our Plot” project, and we have helped to erect a new polytunnel and composting toilet, as well as make the classroom more accessible.

sweetcorn and polytunnel
Sweetcorn growing at the allotment
Tomatoes at the allotment
Tomatoes growing at the allotment
Banana tree at the allotment
Banana tree growing in the sunshine

Our Grow Together session runs every Friday, 10am-1pm, and is open to everyone.  Come along to learn more about growing organic food, meet new people or just to have a look and a cuppa.  If you would like to find out more, follow Darnall Allotment Project on Facebook or Twitter, or contact Sarah at darnallallotmentproj@gmail.com

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Cancer Awareness

Outreach (screening uptake, breast health, signs and symptoms for breast, bowel, lung and ovarian, knowing what is normal for you).

Boxfit

Boxfit is a cardiovascular workout with classes lasting between 45 minutes to one hour.

The classes are based on the training used for boxing so it includes skipping, boxing drills including fast walk and abdominal workouts all focusing on general fitness and toning.

Our friendly and welcoming team are here to support participants from beginners to additional levels and are very passionate about improving the health and well being of the people of Darnall and Tinsley.

Class sizes are small with varying levels and ages of participants specifically targeting first timers from the mid elderly age range.

Diabetes Regional Innovation Fund

We developed a diabetic pathway of care for patients from early identification and education, self management, personalised care planning to secondary prevention of the most at risk communities. People were offered additional tailored support through this project which was carried out by our team of Health Trainers.

Enhanced Primary Community Care

Darnall Well Being in partnership with Clover Group Practice has piloted a community based integrated approach to support hard to engage clients around self management of Long Term Conditions.

After a successful start further funding was secured from SHSC to develop this approach as an integrated model called Enhancing Primary and Community Care (EPCC). The project’s key partners were Clover Group, Darnall Well Being and Sheffield Health & Social Care trust. Clover Group employed two Health Trainers, one Community Support Worker and a Community Development Worker/ Project Administrator with generic and Serious Mental Illness (SMI) skills to work on this pilot. District Nurses, GPs and other services were also part of a Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT) which had regular meetings to discuss patients’ engagement and support needs.

Enhancing Primary and Community Care (EPCC) has provided a comprehensive and intense support for hard to reach and hard to engage clients. People are supported to manage their own health and wellbeing through patient-centred care planning which has the benefit of local insight and community health interventions complementing Primary Care.

Community Stop Smoking Programme

From 2009 to 2014 we delivered a successful community stop smoking service. We provided support of up to 1 hour for 12 weeks either face to face or over the phone and also helped with choosing the most appropriate nicotine replacement products.