Windrush 75th Anniversary
Windrush Day on Thursday 22nd June marked the 75th anniversary of HMT Empire Windrush arriving in Britain in 1948, bringing more than 800 passengers from the Caribbean after the UK government invited people from across the Commonwealth to help rebuild the country after World War ||. The day has become a key symbolic moment in the story of Black British communities, and the day marks the celebration and acknowledgment of the sacrifices and contributions this skilled immigrant work force made to the UK.
The Windrush generation and other ethnic minority colleagues was there from the very beginning of the NHS and continues to shape our National Health Service into what it is today.
This news story from Barca Leeds honours Alford Gardner, who is a regular at the national Windrush celebrations representing the achievements of a generation. This included a reception hosted at the Palace, on 14 June where a special preview of 10 royal commissioned portraits took place.
"This history is much closer to home than you would imagine for us at Barca-Leeds and West Leeds residents alike because Alford Gardner, one of the original passengers on the Empire Windrush, lives in Bramley.
After service in the RAF he returned to the Caribbean and then made the trip back to permanently settle in Leeds and his daughter, Paula Gardner, is the Barca-Leeds Operations Director for Complex Health and Housing. Alford is also the only Windrush passenger still living in Leeds."
See more stories about the history of the NHS and Windrush here:
NHS England » Windrush and the NHS – an entwined history
BME groups in Leeds:
Unique minds BAME Men's Support Group
Celebrating Long-running Charities
Community Links Turns 40!
This year, Community Links turns 40 years old! In this blog, Chief Executive Ruth Kettle and some of their longest serving employees take a look back over their time with the charity and their personal highlights.
Inspire North Chief Executive Ruth Kettle, has answered some questions about her 20-year career with Community Links:
When did you first join Community Links and how has your role changed since then? I joined in 2003 as a Director of Residential services. As we grew across Leeds my role changed, and I became one of two Operational Directors. In December 2014 I became CEO. In 2018 when we merged with Foundation, I set up Inspire North as the parent organisation and became the Group CEO.
What is your number one highlight over your whole career at Community Links? One of the best things about my job is seeing the difference we make in the lives of our clients and the passion that goes into setting up our amazing services. I come to work with a happy heart every day.
What is it about Community Links that has meant you have worked here for so long? Our values, how we listen to people and their ideas and how we work together as a team. I have been supported with juggling my busy home and work life over the years too.
Is there anything you’d like to say to Community Links on their 40th birthday? Happy birthday – don’t ever change, except to keep improving the services and outcomes for our clients, you are all amazing, thank you for everything.
We also heard from Denise Lazarus at CLEAR:
When did you first join Community Links and how has your role changed since then? I joined in 2014 as an Administrator.
What is your number one highlight over your whole career at Community Links? The clients, especially when you see someone who comes into our service who cannot give you eye contact and then, they are peer leading a session, volunteering, or become a member of staff.
What is it about Community Links that has meant you have worked here for so long? For me, it’s about working together as part of a ‘TEAM’, I feel we are appreciated for the work we do, and I believe we are making a real difference to people’s lives.
Is there anything you’d like to say to Community Links on their 40th birthday? Well, there’s only one thing to say . . . Happy 40th Birthday and here’s to the next 40 years.
We have also heard from Ginny Barker at Stronger Families:
When did you first join Community Links and how has your role changed since then? I moved over in 2017 as a Support Worker in the York Families Wellbeing Service. I became Team Leader, then Service Manager for Stronger Families and Manager of Foundation’s Child Therapeutic Service.
What is your number one highlight over your whole career at Community Links? When the team worked so hard to ensure all our families were supported throughout the pandemic. We tackled it head on and the team were absolute heroes.
What is it about Community Links that has meant you have worked here for so long? It was like joining a family. Everyone was, and is, so supportive to one another.
Is there anything you’d like to say to Community Links on their 40th birthday? Happy Birthday Community Links! May you continue to go from strength to strength for a very long time!
We have also heard from Bushra Ali at Walker House:
When did you first join Community Links and how has your role changed since then? I joined in 2006 as a Mental Health Support Worker. I have had various management roles and I am now a Support Worker at Walker House.
What is your number one highlight over your whole career at Community Links? A highlight for me was when we celebrated Holli, the Indian festival of colour. We got paint everywhere and had forgotten one of the Directors was coming to visit and when they saw us, they just laughed.
What is it about Community Links that has meant you have worked here for so long? Community Links’ values and ethos, it’s a great place to work, it’s like my second family.
We have also heard from Pearl Goodison at Rose Villa:
When did you first join Community Links and how has your role changed since then? I started as a Hostel Support Worker in 1991 and am now a Residential Support Worker.
What is your number one highlight over your whole career at Community Links? When the whole organisation would get together on special occasions for our Christmas parties, Eid & Diwali, and Summer Fair. We are a family.
What is it about Community Links that has meant you have worked here for so long? Knowing that I have been able to help someone along the way which gives me great pleasure and fulfilment.
Is there anything you’d like to say to Community Links on their 40th birthday? Happy birthday Community Links. Keep up the good work you have done, and you can only get bigger and stronger.
We commemorated the charity’s 40th birthday at one of our Leeds based residential hostels. Colleagues and clients celebrated in true Community Links style with creative art, activities and of course, lots of cake! Check out the images below.
To learn more about the history of Community Links, visit Our History | Mental Health Charity | Community Links (commlinks.co.uk)
Foundation - Building Better Lives for Over 30 Years
Foundation has been working for over 30 years in the North of England building better lives. They believe in social justice, fairness and the right to belong. They support adults, young people and families, building on their strengths to make a lasting difference, empowering change and social inclusion.
Foundation work in partnership to deliver a broad range of innovative and professional services for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness; whether through complex needs, offender history, family breakdown, domestic abuse, addiction or mental health issues.
HISTORY:
The Foundation story starts in the early 1980s when a group of probation workers realised that ex-offenders needed support on leaving prison: a roof over their head, somewhere to cook, their own space and support to help them turn their lives around.
The team together set up the West Riding Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders ‘bedsit project’, working in partnership with Leeds Federated Housing Association to provide furnished accommodation for just six people. They created the Timble Housing Project, the forerunner of Foundation, in 1984.
In 2018, Foundation and mental health charity Community Links merged to form the Inspire North group.
Today, Foundation work’s in locations across the North of England to tackle social exclusion of all kinds. In doing so, they support 3,000 customers including adults with drug and alcohol problems, women suffering from domestic violence, the young and the vulnerable, the homeless and people at risk of homelessness.
Celebrating New and Innovative Programmes
The Enhance Programme
Leeds Older People’s Forum, on behalf of the Forum Central Partnership, has launched the Enhance Programme in partnership with Leeds Community Healthcare Trust.
Enhance programme - Leeds Older People’s Forum (opforum.org.uk)
Enhance supports safe and sustainable discharge from hospital and Neighbourhood Teams into a secure home environment. The programme links third sector organisations with NHS Neighbourhood Teams and other agencies to avoid delayed discharges and readmissions for individuals, and to enhance capacity throughout the system.
The programme has just progressed into its second year and Enhance links 14 VCSE organisations in Leeds, all who have decades of experience of working with older people and all who build an holistic, person centred package of support around the individual needs within their community. The main aim is to improve the lives of the people the programme touches but the secondary one is to reduce the pressure that the NHS and social care is under.
The Enhance programme delivered a conference in February 2023 to show the challenges and successes of the work so far. To support that a number of participants agreed to share their story on film:
Peter's and Sandra's Stories:
"human beings can do a lot for each other"
Dave's story:
"I know now that there's somebody there, somebody that's willing to help...and does help"
Read more stories about the Enhance Programme here:
https://www.opforum.org.uk/resources/enhance-learning-briefing-10-stories-from-the-front-line/
https://www.opforum.org.uk/resources/enhance-learning-briefing-9-stories-from-the-front-line/
https://www.opforum.org.uk/resources/enhance-learning-briefing-5-stories-from-the-front-line/
You can also read the Summary of Year One Evaluation which highlights the benefits and successes of effective collaboration:
“I look forward to [the worker] coming – we have a laugh, it’s not all about treatment and cancer… this helps with my mental health - which does as much good for me as any of the nurses with treatments and pills – it’s about your morale too.”
- Reports of reducing unplanned hospital admission through contributing to limiting falls, support around maintaining health and wellbeing, reducing loneliness
- Enabling timely hospital discharge through ensuring people can return home safely, or offering practical help for those with limited family connections
- Slowing deterioration of health through tailoring support to needs which are not met through other services, reducing likelihood of return to NT services.
- NTs receive a high volume of referrals (over 600 per week) and have limited capacity to support patients with non-clinical needs around managing their health and wellbeing. The Enhance programme was developed to ease capacity through providing holistic home-centred and coordinated support. Enhance works with people to empower them to increase independence and reduce dependency on health services, supporting safe and sustainable discharge from hospital and avoiding delayed discharges and readmissions.
“The role of nursing staff can be task orientated and they may not get the time to consider the patient’s wider needs. We look at the bigger picture around support to live in their own home and feeling safe, our role is to try to keep people out of hospital. I have always looked to the community to help support me with this.” (Matron)
75 Faces of the NHS: Our Workforce and Volunteers
Leeds Hospitals Charity is the dedicated charity for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and they have collaborated with the Trust to celebrate the NHS 75th Birthday, by producing the '75 Faces of the NHS Campaign'. It’s a collaborative project between the charity and Trust, to celebrates the incredible work and commitment of all of our NHS colleagues who work tirelessly across a range of roles and specialities, to provide the best care to patients every day in Leeds. Every day until 5th July, Leeds Hospital Charity will be releasing a "face of the NHS" in celebration of this landmark anniversary.
"The staff across Leeds Teaching Hospitals provide exceptional care every day to thousands of patients and their families, ensuring the best patient outcomes...We hope this campaign shines a spotlight on some of the wonderful, dedicated staff we have across the Trust and celebrate 75 years of the NHS"
Esther Wakeman - Chief Executive, Leeds Hospitals Charity
Please find below links to the Leeds Hospital Charity website which showcases the campaign in more detail and links to the photographs released so far:
75 Faces of the NHS: https://www.leedshospitalscharity.org.uk/listing/category/nhs-75
Photo Album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.570320995203742&type=3