STAGED UNIT REOPENING – NEW NORMAL A BRAVE NEW WORLD TUESDAY 20TH APRIL 2021

STAGED RE-OPENING OF THE UNIT TO CLIENTS.

By now those clients that have a booked placement with Headway Northampton will have received correspondence to give them a start date to begin to re-attend. Unfortunately due to the social distancing rules and other government guidelines we have to stage the return of our clients. We are working hard to try to enable workshops that were operational prior to the virus striking.  However, as you will understand without any funding we had to cut back on our staffing, the two metre rule, and  social distancing some groups can not begin again yet.

There are also other social limitations the government has put in place which make it very difficult  for us to offer the full social integration and groups  that we are renowned such as our Music Therapy, this group will be one of the last to begin again. You will see from the letter that assuming there is not another peak that means a tiered lockdown again, May 2021 looks as if this is the month we will be able to really get back to some form of normality, and plan for future social events.

The letter you should all have received is below. If you  have any questions, or need to contact the unit for information or support please ring 01604 591045  during office hours – there is a crisis number in operation when the unit is closed, however this is not a 24/7 line, messages can be left and someone will get back to you.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon.   Managers and staff of Headway Northampton.

Dear All

 hope this letter finds you well, we are happy to announce a staged re-opening to Headway Northampton week commencing 19^th April 2021.  The unit will re-open to clients for booked placements on Tuesday 20^th April 2021.

We will continue to follow the Government guidelines for the Coronavirus Pandemic, these include:

• Mandatory sanitising / hand washing

• Temperature taken upon arrival

• If there is a concern, mandatory COVID testing for Staff and Clients using the Government Supplied Rapid Lateral Flow Tests (PCR)

• Masks will be available to all

• 2m Social Distancing at all times

• 1-way system throughout the building

• All staff have been vaccinated

• An intense / timed cleaning regime

We ask that all Support Workers attending with clients have received the vaccination as well, this is mandatory.  No vaccination, no entry.

Activities

 We are pleased to welcome some new tutors to the team, due to a grant from the National Lottery.  This will enable our clients to engage in some new groups and continue their therapeutic development.

Group activities will include:

• Fine Art

• Photography

• Drama

• Gardening

• Social Activities

These will run alongside already established groups:

• Art & Craft

• Mosaic

• Quiz etc

We are always open to suggestions from our clients for new groups they would like to take part in.

Our 1^st stage of re-opening will be by invitation only, you will be informed of a start date, this will run from Tuesday 20^th April 2021.

Our 2^nd stage of re-opening will again be by invitation; this will start from Tuesday 18^th May 2021.  You will be contacted with your start date.

Details on Assessment / Appointments to follow.

Looking forward to welcoming you all back, stay safe.

Yours sincerely

Headway Northampton Trustees and Staff

Headway Northampton always tries to us a theme for the unit and the workshops. We have decided the theme for this year is  A Brave New World. For all of us being locked down has been very difficult. It si beginning to be recognised that mental health has been affected, adjusting to being unable to socialise, loneliness, missing family and friends, as well as grief for those that the virus took from us.

A Brave New World represents how the transition affects us, and how we overcome the challenges ahead. We are hoping that if all goes to plan we will open the unit to the public later on in the year, hopefully with our Annual BBQ “FINGERS CROSSED”.