Portland Inn Project tackles neighbourhood health concerns
“What stops you sleeping at night?”. That was the question asked by the Portland Inn Project to people living in their neighbourhood.
The responses helped to inform a Community Health Impact Assessment which was then used by young people to help raise awareness about the health concerns and issues affecting their area on the outskirts of Hanley.
Members of the project’s Youth Panel were involved in delivering a presentation to local services outlining the challenges faced and the impacts on health and wellbeing. The young people also produced a Zine to help spread the word.
Having successfully bid for Tackling Health Inequalities grant funding for a second time, The Portland Inn project are embarking on an exciting 12 month programme of activity which aims to address the health priorities they identified in the first phase of the project.
Anna Francis, Co-director of The Portland Inn Project, said: “This will involve a series of skills development sessions, data gathering events and supportive meetings with community members and local services which will result in a Neighbourhood Welcome Pack. The pack can be given to residents in the area to inform them of our work, what they can do themselves and where to go if they need further support.”
For example, in the case of Air pollution which has been identified as a top priority, the Portland Inn Project will host a talk by an expert to understand what air quality in the area is actually like and how this impacts on health.
A follow up workshop will include a data gathering exercise in the street and in homes and working with a bryologist to identify mosses and lichens growing locally and what they tell us about air quality.
A final session will look at measures that can be carried out easily in homes and the wider neighborhood including steps to improve ventilation and planting sessions to remove pollutants from the air.
Similar sessions will also be held for the other issues identified by the community including poor housing and bad landlords and the impact of poor streetscapes and flytipping.
Anna said: “A key part of the project will be connecting neighbours to local council housing and environmental health teams as well as to police and fire services with the aim of making them feel safer in their own homes.
“We see health and safety as inextricably linked because when our neighbours do not feel safe, they report that this can impact their mental health.”
Another key part of the programme will be a physical welcome to invite neighbours to the launch of the Portland Inn community hub which is nearing completion.
