Pictured left to right are: Sayyed Osman, Director of Adult Services and Prevention - Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council; James Hadleigh, Chief Executive Officer – Care Network; Paul Lee, Head of Service Safeguarding, Community Protection and Specialist Services – Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council; Carol Ward, Disability and Diversity Services Coordinator – Care Network; and Debbie Summersgill, Operations and Services Manager – Care Network.
Published Monday 23 July 2018 at 15:10
An event was held to help inform councillors about the wide range of services available at Care Network Hub.
Care Network Hub on Town Hall Street in Blackburn is run by local charity Care Network and offers advice on health and wellbeing.
All Blackburn with Darwen councillors were invited to look around the hub and find out about the services available to support their constituents.
Care Network has been supporting residents living in Blackburn with Darwen for the last 15 years. Over this time the charity has supported over 27,000 people and made almost 40,000 referrals for services to support people’s health, wellbeing and independence.
The charity has grown significantly in the last 15 years, and with the increased local demand for their services the charity made the decision to re-brand, and introduce a new name for their one-stop-shop from ‘Your Support Your Choice’ to ‘Care Network Hub’.
Community groups, volunteers, peer support groups, charities, the Council and statutory services, use Care Network Hub to help residents with any difficulties they may be experiencing.
The hub opened in 2013, across from Blackburn Library, and provides information and advice to help improve people’s wellbeing. Access to counselling, talking therapies and alternative ways to support good mental health like mindfulness are available along with ways to improve physical health and keep active.
Care Network Hub also hosts a range of drop-ins including work clubs focusing on supporting individuals to improve their wellbeing, confidence and work prospects and support around benefits and maximising income.
Support for carers and for people living with long term health conditions including dementia, autism, OCD, and people living with any form of physical disability or learning disability is available from the hub.
The hub also hosts support groups including a men’s club, a bereavement by suicide support group, pain management support group and a disability action and hate crime support group.
Care Network also offers a drop in at Darwen Town Hall every Thursday for people who struggle to get into Blackburn, and they can also be contacted by phone, email or through their website.
Since 2003, Care Network has been delivering the very successful safe trader scheme offering everything from home maintenance and gardening, to wellbeing at home services like meals on wheels for people who are unable or struggle to leave their home due to their health, disability or caring responsibilities. The scheme supports people to continue to live independently at home for as long as they wish to, as well as preventing people becoming victims of rogue traders.
The new Healthy Homes project is also a welcome addition to services available to support people in their homes and offers expert knowledge, advice and support to help residents who are elderly, are living with long term health conditions or have a child under 5 years achieve a warm, safe, hazard free and energy efficient home which promotes independence, health and wellbeing.
Cllr Brian Taylor, Executive Member for Health and Adult Social Care at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said:
Care Network Hub is an amazing health and wellbeing resource for residents. It provides a wide range of services, advice and information to help people improve their wellbeing and remain independent. If you’re struggling with something and need some advice, I would encourage you to call into Care Network Hub to see how they can help.
James Hadleigh, Chief Executive Officer at Care Network, said:
It’s only right that in times of such difficulty for many that we all work together to offer a place for people to go to access support that can help them to overcome any issues, however big or small. This support will have lasting benefits to their health and wellbeing and will hopefully lead to happier and healthier people in our community.