Dr Uzma Aziz is a GP at Woodlands Road surgery in Redhill and the Growing Health Together lead for Redhill.
Dr Aziz 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
A new initiative ‘Growing Health through Art and Creativity’ began on 28th July 2023 at the Harlequin Theatre, Redhill. This health and arts programme is run by Reigate and Banstead Borough Council (with funding from NHS Surrey Heartlands), in partnership with Arts Council, The Baring Foundation, Growing Health Together and HERA arts (Healing Expressive and Recovery Arts Project). Drop-in sessions are from 10.30am-12pm on the last Friday of every month.
There’s also an opportunity to take part in taster sessions with arts professionals. To book your place please email arts@reigate-banstead.gov.uk.
These sessions are designed to encourage take up in the wider arts session to include creative writing, photography/art/walks, singing and dance and aims to break down fear/anxiety and lack of confidence in taking part.
Educational Breast Feeding sessions are held on the last Tuesday of every month and numerous women are benefitting from these sessions. This is expanding into joint educational breast feeding sessions with Dr Tabassum Siddiqui within the Merstham area.
Asian Women’s Wellness sessions are held fortnightly on alternate Thursdays at Surrey Choices building in Redhill. It is aimed at tackling social isolation and improving physical and mental wellbeing of Asian women. These sessions not only provide a platform to socialise but also give them the opportunity to discuss different health related issues in their own language.
Dr Uzma Aziz has supported the Asian Women Wellness Hub to expand, with Sisters Circle, the off-shoot of the Asian Women Wellness Hub for those in their teens and twenties. This group has already gathered over 60 members, and the young people have identified multiple topics of conversation and activities they would like to pursue over the coming weeks and months to support their health and wellbeing, including taboo topics such as LGBTQ+ health, sexual health and contraception.
We supported and part-funded a fantastic project of Community Football for the local Cromwell Estate in Redhill. The Redhill Football Club Chairman said:
“The Growing Health Together (Redhill) grant helped provide free weekly community football sessions on the local Cromwell Estate for boys and girls aged 9-14 years of age. “We needed to build on the success of the initial 10-week pilot which we ran in conjunction with the Community Development Team at Reigate & Banstead BC” comments Redhill FC Chairman Jerry O’Leary. Click here to watch a video of this great initiative.
The Cromwell Community gardening project has been rejuvenated with the planting of over 200 bulbs of daffodils and other plants. Residents of Cromwell estate prepared the soil, planted bulbs and fresh flowers.
Collaboration has taken place to enable a wide range of local community members to organise outreach diabetes screening and health checks for those at increased risk, including those from Black and Multi Ethnic groups in the Redhill area. This project, initiated in response to local Population Health data, has built on existing connections and relationships held between Growing Health Together, Reigate & Banstead Borough Council community development team, local mosques and other community hubs.
Tree planting at Kiln gardens Woodhatch creating a beautiful green space for residents, to be able to meet, have a cuppa and a chat, which was funded by Growing Health Together and residents of all ages participated in planting the trees.
