A SUMMARY OF OUR RECENT OPEN MEETING

Local resident Maurice chaired the meeting of around 50 people at the Broadway Rooms an opened by inviting Dr Mark Spencer and Jenny Houten of the Mountview Surgery to update on the plans for social prescribing.

Mark explained that the background to the idea was to provide non-clinical support for residents alongside any essential medication. Jenny will contact patients referred by the GP to look at the most appropriate local groups and activities to support an improvement in their health. Fleetwood Town Community Trust present numerous opportunities across the Town and they will be a lead partner in establishing the project.

Chris Hyde, Community Resuscitation Manager from the North West Ambulance Service told the group that there were 2 publicly accessible defibrillators in Fleetwood and they were helping to save lives. Healthier Fleetwood will be working with Chris and the service to look into raising funds for more defibrillators in the Town and a programme of free courses for residents to become community first responders. More details to follow soon.

Working on behalf of the CVS and Lancashire County Council, Simon Lawton provides free support and advice to help community groups and projects with funding and constitution. He will be holding a workshop at the Broadway rooms on Wednesday 14th March from 6pm and more events later in the year. To contact Simon please email simon.lawton@cvsbwf.org.uk

Katrina shared her story and how she has now set up the new group Women Aloud for local residents to find support and new friends. (The first meeting of the group was well attended and is now looking at expanding.)

We will be working with the YMCA at the Lofthouse Building on the corner of London Road and Dock Street to host a ‘chatter café’, a free drop-in session for residents to connect over a cuppa. The date for the first session will is expected to be early April.

Marine Hall is hosting One You a free Health & Wellbeing event on Sunday 8th April 10am - 4pm. This will bring together a range of groups, businesses and individuals offering health, wellbeing and fitness support, products and services. Healthier Fleetwood and our partners will be there to share what’s going on in the community.

Residents Shelley and Maxine then opened the meeting up for ideas …

Rachel told us about her project to put together a group of residents interested in knitting or crochet to produce thousands of poppies for the Fleetwood Homecoming Parade in November. We’ll share the instructions and contact details for this soon.

David is also involved in the Homecoming event and reminded us with great passion that Fleetwood’s big day of the year is the Festival of Transport in July and everyone in the community should support these local events. Another project for David is to canvass residents for their thoughts on travel arrangements and options to attend appointments at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

There was a discussion about involving more young people in the group and projects to help this in the future. Healthier Fleetwood's Young Chef of the Year aims to encourage families to cook and eat together more for health and social benefits.

Jessica from McMillan Care introduced herself as the local coordinator and that the charity is looking for opportunities to partner with others locally to share their work. Jessica can be contacted at jessica.jones@bfwhospitals.nhs.uk

At the end of the meeting it was decided by the group to hold future get-togethers on a monthly basis and we are looking at dates and venues to book the next 6 events which will be announced.