#StokeonTrentTogether – Community Health Champions

Portland Inn Project tackles neighbourhood health concerns

vast — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:49:04 +0000

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.

Have your say on ADHD/Autism assessments, mental health services and SEND

vast — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 16:51:28 +0000

Have your say on ADHD/Autism assessments, mental health services and SEND

Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent are running a number of surveys to understand local families’ experiences of health services in the city.

The first is a project to understand the experiences of those who have accessed diagnosis and support services for children with Autism and or ADHD.

The second is aimed at adults experiences of accessing Autism and ADHD assessments and diagnosis.

A third survey is asking people for feedback about accessing mental health services for adults.

You can access the surveys here:

CAMHS ASD & ADHD assessments

Adult’s ASD & ADHD support

Access to adult’s mental health services

Feedback from all the surveys are anonymised and shared with service providers and commissioners as well as being shared on the Stoke-on-Trent Healthwatch website.

Meanwhile Government are inviting parents to help shape the future of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system.

Minister for School Standards Georgia Gould said:

“We want this to be the biggest national conversation on SEND in a generation, and I urge parents, teachers and all those with views to participate and help us deliver lasting reform.

Ahead of the publication of the Schools White Paper early next year, the Department for Education is committed to testing the proposals with young people and families alongside teachers and other experts.

In partnership with the Council for Disabled Children, they are hosting a series of SEND Engagement events across the country where attendees can share their views .

Although the West Midlands regional event in Birmingham on January 12 is already sold out, there are two opportunities to join the national conversation by signing up to an online event on Tuesday 6^th January and Wednesday 14^th January at 6.00 pm.

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Healthy appetite for Poems, Pies and Pals

vast — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:12:00 +0000

Healthy appetite for Poems, Pies and Pals

Those who attended Poems, Pies and Pals at the Dudson Centre recently have praised the “sense of community” they experienced.

The event was sparked by a call from the Ageing Well Partnership for community events to help tackle loneliness and isolation in Stoke-on-Trent.

After discussing ideas, this collaborative event featured micro-volunteering, a delicious hot meal, and a performance by Stoke-on-Trent Centenary Poet Laureate Nick Degg – all supported by the Community Foundation for Staffordshire and Shropshire and Beth Johnson Foundation.

More than 30 people came along and joined in with the micro-volunteering activity – wrapping more than 100 Christmas gifts for older people living in the local community which are being distributed through our Welcoming Spaces network.

Feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive and even inspiring some to share their own poetry.

“We usually live in very insular circles, so it’s great to be part of something different”,

“helping in this way makes me feel like I am giving something back”,

“people were very welcoming, chatty, the space was warm and social”,

“there was inclusion and happy, smiling faces and people working together”,

“loved every minute”.

Natalie Hawkins, Support and Volunteering Projects Manager at VAST, said: “We were delighted with how the event ran and it was a great introduction to micro-volunteering and what can be achieved when everybody pulls together.”

“We think this paves the way for similar events in future as there is clearly an appetite for events where people are empowered to share something of themselves with others.”

To find out more about volunteering in Stoke-on-Trent, get in touch on 01782 683030 or email volunteering@vast.org.uk.