BACKGROUND
As with life, change is inevitable. We all experience the ups, the downs and different phases of life in our own ways. During the COVID-19 pandemic Maidenhead United FC and the Maidenhead United FC Community Trust experienced our own change. We knew vulnerable members of our community were shielding and unable to get out and we wanted to help.
We realised that we could use our networks and resources to recruit a team of trusted community volunteers and connect them through a telephone hotline to the most vulnerable members of the community to pick up a prescription, help with shopping or walk the pet dog.
With the commitment of nearly 200 local volunteers, we were able to provide support to many hundreds of people during the pandemic.
What this highlighted to the club and the charitable trust is the important role we can play in championing wellbeing for everyone in our community including:
Building emotional resilience within our community - Creating an environment which enables individuals to build emotional intelligence and manage stress through connecting with others and taking part in wellbeing focused activities.
Providing opportunities for participation in sports and other healthy activities - Promoting positive lifestyle choices including the benefits of regular exercise and healthy eating.
Keeping our community connected - Delivering or signposting to a range social and recreational activities, enabling participation and engagement for all, including disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, and tackling the challenge of social isolation and loneliness within our community.
WELLBEING SUPPORT SERVICE
Our Wellbeing Support Service builds on what we started during the pandemic with the objective of providing support to local people within Maidenhead, Windsor, Ascot, and the surrounding areas which will help them feel happier and healthier through being connected in the community.
The Wellbeing Support Service is available to anyone within the local community who would benefit from support to help overcome challenges that impact their emotional and/or physical wellbeing including social isolation and loneliness.
We understand that life is not always easy and that people often experience barriers that impact their quality of life and prevent them from accessing support or undertaking activities that support their wellbeing.
Our focus is to help people overcome the barriers to being active and socially engage including those who struggle to be engaged due to their personal circumstances. These can range from the busyness of life because of work or family commitments, confidence, and more significant life change due to poor health, bereavement, unemployment, children leaving home, or the cost-of-living crisis.
IF YOU NEED HELP OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES - You can contact the Wellbeing Support Service by email at
wellbeing@maidenheadunitedfc-community.org or by telephone 01628 636314.
HOW WE HELP
The Wellbeing Support Service has a person-centred approach, meaning will work directly with those who have asked for support to understand their needs, environment, circumstances, health, and finances. Most importantly we want to understand what an individual would like to change, what they like to do, their goals, or what they need help with.
We then work with individuals to develop and support the implementation of an action plan design to help them engage with resources/activities already within the community and access support where required from our network of wellbeing partners and committed volunteers.
Examples of how we can help include:
• Signposting to community and social engagement activities and information.
• Lifestyle, health and exercise support including facilitating activity “Buddies”.
• Help getting out into the community.
• Confidence coaching/building.
• Preventative or crisis support.
• One-off essential food shopping.
• Befriending.
• IT/Tech set up and support.
• Form filling / short-term PA assistance
• Help with financial concerns.
HOW WE WORK
The Wellbeing Service has a four-step process we work to:
1. UNDERSTAND – What is the need?
We will call or visit the individual. We listen and find out what is really going on and how we can help.
2. CONNECT - Who can help?
We provide options for how we or others can support. We will signpost or refer to a specialist charity, organization, NHS service, or community partner or engage a committed volunteer. Where appropriate we will propose the establishment of a Wellbeing Circle of support.
3. FACILITATE - We facilitate activity engagement and introductions to the volunteer or community partner.
Once we match the service with the need we initiate the introductions personally and professionally.
4. SUPPORT - We are a point of contact throughout.
No individual, volunteer, or community partner is lost or forgotten along the way. We maintain engagement with individuals so we can monitor the success and impact of our engagement, providing ongoing support if required.
IF YOU NEED HELP OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES - You can contact the Wellbeing Support Service by email at wellbeing@maidenheadunitedfc-community.org or by telephone 01628 636314.
WELLBEING CIRCLES
Working in partnership with RBWM, Frimley Health, and the local social prescribing team, we have developed a model of support for individuals in need of a short-term package of more intensive support designed to enable them to regain independence or overcome the challenge of loneliness or isolation. Examples of individuals who may benefit from support include people:
Recently discharged from hospital.
With long-term health conditions (e.g Diabetes, cancer, etc)
Older people without a family support network.
The Wellbeing Circles' objective is to support individuals toward a happier, healthier life by enabling them to stay connected within the community and build confidence. The individual is central to the success of a wellbeing circle and will work with one of our Wellbeing Support Co-ordinators to review, design, and shape the support they want to access and how that might look in practice.
There is no prescriptive list of tasks that individuals can get help or support with as the Wellbeing Circle gives individuals meaning the individual is in control of the support they receive.
A Wellbeing Circle works by bringing a group of people and/or voluntary sector organisations together to help individuals in areas of their day-to-day life where they might benefit from some support. By bringing together friends, family members, and neighbours into their lives and their Wellbeing Circle, the objective is that the group can all work collaboratively to support an individual.
IF YOU NEED HELP FROM A WELLBEING CIRCLE OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES - You can contact the Wellbeing Support Service by email at wellbeing@maidenheadunitedfc-community.org or by telephone 01628 636314.
OUR WELLBEING PARTNERS
Currently, our partners include the Frimley Health, Social Prescribing Teams, RBWM, Citizens Advice Bureau, Housing Associations, People 2 Places, the Good Gym, Mens Matters, Christians Against Debt, and local ethnic & diversity groups.
We are continually looking at ways to strengthen our network, please do get in touch if you would like to become a Wellbeing Partner please contact Raisie Frankum at raisie@maidenheadunitedfc-community.org.
WANT TO HELP AND VOLUNTEER?
Our Wellbeing Support Service would not have been possible without the support and commitment of our team of local volunteers who give up their time and offer their skills, comradery, and encouragement to make a difference in the lives of many of the people we support through this initiative.
We are always looking to recruit new volunteers to share their skills, knowledge, contacts, networks, and ultimately time. We are stronger together and without volunteers, the Wellbeing Support Service would not be able to connect and facilitate the help that is needed in the community.
Here are just a few ideas of how volunteers could help our community members:
Help individuals to regain or maintain independence at home.
Helping individuals build confidence to get back out into the community - walks, coffee, shopping taking part in an activity
Offering knowledge of local activities and information
Confidence and resilience coaching/ building
Befriending (having a cuppa and lending an ear) or buddying for an activity such as a fitness session.
IT / Tech setup or support
Form Filling / Short term personal admin assistance
Running a support group or activity
We are always open to hearing of any skills a volunteer feels they have to offer and may be useful in the community, such as cooking, music, enjoying board games, model building, creative in the arts or crafts to name but a few.
The Wellbeing Support Service is here to support all our volunteers whilst they in turn support our community. A circle of paying it forward increases wellbeing, and resilience and creates a connected and supportive community.
Our mission is to help each community member to live a happier, healthier life, and that includes all our volunteers.
We are all worthy of a good and healthy life, let's create it together for our community, UNITED AS ONE.
We are continually looking for volunteers, please do get in touch if you would like to become a Wellbeing Support Volunteer please contact Raisie Frankum at raisie@maidenheadunitedfc-community.org.
GET IN TOUCH
Get in touch and we will be in contact as soon as possible.