Dr Gillian Orrow is the GP lead for Growing Health Together in Horley, having been a GP in the local area for almost a decade. Dr Orrow is working with a wide range of citizens and local partners to support the establishment of new health-creating initiatives that respond to locally-identified need, and to support and promote existing projects that are supporting health and wellbeing in the area.
A small selection of these projects may be found below. For more information, please follow the links provided or email info@growinghealthtogether.org
As director of Growing Health Together, Gillian also supports the GP leads working in the other areas of East Surrey, supports linkages with partner organisations in East Surrey and across the county, and facilitates a community of practice.
Set up by volunteers, this is a burgeoning group of men – and women! – who wanted regular time and space to meet, pursue practical interests at leisure, to practice skills, enjoy making and mending. The shed is found on the edge of the Horley Health Hub’s community garden. The group is going from strength to strength, with many new friendships made.
The Men in Sheds group meets every Tuesday at the Horley Health Hub from 9am – 3pm
Find out more about the Mens Sheds initiative.
For more information, contact abccic.horleyhealthhub@nhs.net
Watch a short video showcasing their work.
We are proud supporters of the group Africa Community in Surrey and Sussex (ACISS). ACISS was founded by local resident Bola Odunuga to help members of the African diaspora to thrive in the U.K.
ACISS hold regular community events. To date these have included a book club, African music and story-telling events, seasonal celebrations and a concert featuring displaced musicians who have settled locally. Alongside these cultural events, ACISS have hosted talks to support access to the wider determinants of health for all in our community, have offered outreach NHS health checks in collaboration with Alliance for Better Care and YMCA, and are now working with the local hospital to improve care for those living with sickle cell disease.
Watch a short video showcasing their work.
A new inclusive exercise class, Chairobics, has been launched in Smallfield village, with the support of locals Judith Calver and Annalisa Cirque. We helped catalyse this initiative in response to local patients’ feedback that such an initiative was urgently needed to help older people in particular regain strength, mobility and independence following the COVID-19 pandemic. It is proving very popular and is reducing social isolation as well as improving physical fitness, strength and self-confidence.
Sessions take place weekly on Mondays at 11am. The cost is £3 per session, you can turn up on the day, to find out more or to book a place call Annalisa on 07411 724 624.
We supported the opening of a new trim trail for people of all ages, on Outwood Common. The Trim Trail is made of larch and designed to sympathetically blend into the natural woodland and enable local people to connect to nature and to one another, while engaging in physical activity and improving strength and balance.
The Trim Trail can be found between Outwood Butcher’s Shop and St John the Baptist Church on Brickfield Road RH1 5FQ. Parking and cycle racks are available outside Lloyd Hall, opposite the start of the trail.
The Birchwood Volunteer Health Champions welcome and support anyone who might need advice and a listening ear. The team have a wealth of practical advice, guidance and resources available to them – this includes supporting people to gain access to information online and also information for carers.
The group meet on the first Monday of every month. For more information contact abccic.horleyhealthhub@nhs.net
A few years ago, this was an overgrown and unusable area and now the Community Garden is used all year round. Alliance for Better Care, Horley PCN and Growing Health Together staff continue to use the space for breaks, alongside all of the local groups who meet at the Horley Health Hub. The area has hosted a variety of events and is looked after by our regular volunteers including the fantastic Birchwood Volunteer Health Champions.
Crafty ladies are a group of local women passionate about unleashing their creativity in the company of others. Whether you are experienced in crafts and art and want to connect with others who share your passion, or interested to dip your toe in the water as a novice, you are very welcome to join in!
Ladies meet once a fortnight, 10am – 2pm in the Horley Health Hub. For more information, contact Jill Douglas on 07850 180 046.
