Befriending Treat Boxes

This project has been a good way to keep in touch with the community and be able to share health information.

Benefits of Treat Boxes

Health promotion – opportunistic interventions

Wellbeing/craft bags, kits and packs

Location

Cheetham Hill and Crumpsall

Project team

Charlee Fitzgerald – Neighbourhood Health Worker

Parveen Akhtar – Winning Hearts and Minds

Chris Bernard – Winning Hearts and Minds

Poppy Soldatos – Tesco Community Champion

Chaiwalla – Café in Cheetham Hill

Aim

To connect with residents and remind them of the services and support that is available.

To share information on staying well in winter and about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Testimonial

“Very nice.”

“I liked my treat box, it’s lovely to receive a present.”

“It’s Asian food, I like it.”

“A free breakfast! Too expensive otherwise. Mask and socks in cold weather were useful.”

Evaluation

The project went well, it was nice for Charlee to get a chance to meet some residents (within COVID-19 safety conditions). Not all feedback forms were returned but people that responded enjoyed the breakfast and packs they received. One resident has asked if they can get involved with some volunteering once it is safe to do so. Some of the residents have been part of other buzz projects too, including the mini garden kits. One resident had lots of herbs in her garden kit and shared these herbs with Parveen to use in her cooking.

It was nice for buzz to work closely with Winning Hearts and Minds, to show the residents that no matter what the organisation/position, we are all one community.

Strategic Link

Benefit	Policy
Empowers people	Healthy Lives, Healthy People (HM Government, 2010) NHS Five Year Forward View (Department of Health, 2014)
Supports prevention	Greater Manchester Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy The Manchester Prevention Programme
Supports self-care and self-management of conditions	Make Every Contact Count (Future Forum, Department of Health, 2011) Taking Charge of our Health and Social Care in Greater Manchester (GMCA, 2015) Manchester’s Self-Care Strategy
Increases participation for groups who would not usually access services	Fair Society, Healthy Lives (Institute of Health Equity, 2010)

Benefit	Policy
Social inclusion	Manchester Population Health Plan NHS Five Year Forward View (Department of Health, 2014)
Enabling resilient communities	Greater Manchester Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy
Increased mental wellbeing	Manchester Health and Wellbeing Strategy Greater Manchester Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy
Helping people live healthier lives	Healthy Lives, Healthy People (MH Government, 2010) The Manchester Locality Plan – A Healthier Manchester Manchester Health and Wellbeing Strategy Manchester Prevention Programme
Addressing health inequalities	Fair Society, Healthy Lives (Institute of Health Equity, 2010)