East Surrey South Tandridge Health and Wellbeing Network

Neighbourhood development in the South Tandridge Neighbourhood Health and Wellbeing Network.

Over the past year, our network has worked to identify and collectively action many areas to improve health and wellbeing in the local area.

Below is a selection of the South Tandridge Neighbourhood highlights.

Support for local veterans needs advertising to align with the Armed Forces Covenant Duty

Latest update: As a result of an Oxted Royal British Legion Veteran’s group representative attending the meeting the Alliance for Better Care website will have a page dedicate to the Armed Forces. We would also like to put a spotlight on support for veterans within our Neighbourhood meeting by inviting a representative to give a short presentation at our June/July meeting. The Oxted Legion will host a future Neighbourhood meeting. The Veteran’s group meet regularly to help to foster the mental wellbeing of veterans and feel a sense of comradeship and understanding.

Community Repair and Recycling Shed has been suggested for Hurst Green

It will harness the skills of local residents to offer teaching, repair, crafting, and upcycling activities. This initiative will foster social interaction, helping to alleviate social isolation and mental health challenges, while also reducing landfill waste.

Latest update: The initial face to face survey engaged with nearly 40 residents and several school children. Community Champions successfully recruited 10 enthusiastic volunteers with diverse skills and identified a potential source of surplus supplies from a local builder.

Communication on available services and support groups for residents and partner organisations is required

Latest update: Introduction of a Miro Board to provide an opportunity to local partners to better understand the local offer of services and support for local residents. All partners are encouraged to put their details on the Miro Board to ensure it truly reflects the breadth of services, activities and support that is available in South Tandridge.

Park Play in Hurst Green

Latest update: Connections in South Tandridge network have facilitated the connection of Active Surrey, Surrey County Council, the Community Link Officer, and local schools to enable the funding of ParkPlay outside activities in Hurst Green.

ParkPlay now runs every Saturday from 9.30am at Holland Junior School, all residents are welcome to attend and join in as much or as little as they wish.  There is currently one volunteer leader and up to 13 children and adults attending.  Park Play is looking for more volunteer leaders to help, all volunteers are fully equipped with training and ongoing support. We hope that the attendance numbers will continue to increase as more residents find out about the fun, inclusive activities taking place.

Neighbourhood development in the South Tandridge Neighbourhood Health and Wellbeing Network.

Over the past year, our network has worked to identify and collectively action many areas to improve health and wellbeing in the local area.

Below is a selection of the South Tandridge Neighbourhood highlights.

Lack of support for parents with SEN children

Latest update: The neighbourhood network has facilitated information sharing around the need for peer support groups for parents, and connections between professionals. There are now 2 peer support groups set up: one by the Local Area Coordinator for Hurst Green and by the Vicar from Lingfield and Dormansland Church.

Community Spaces - Hurst Green Courtyard

Latest update: 2-year collaborative project based on the requests of residents to have visually pleasing place to sit and chat outside the shops. Growing Health Together, Surrey County Council, Oxted Parish Council, Aggies Hall, and Creative Community have worked this project to produce the garden planters with integral benches. The first phase has already received positive feedback with residents using the space daily. 

Lack of support for  LGBTQIA+ locally, previous groups stopped in COVID and never restarted

Latest update: Founder of Accessify and the Vicar from Lingfield and Dormansland Church have started a peer support group for LGBTQIA+.

Young people’s mental health

Latest update: Counselling for young girls at Oxted school delivered by a Wellbeing Coach with excellent outcomes for the girls that attended the course including significant improvement in their perception of themselves.

Park Play in Hurst Green

Latest update: Connections in South Tandridge network have facilitated the connection of Active Surrey, Surrey County Council, the Community Link Officer, and local schools to enable the funding of ParkPlay outside activities in Hurst Green.

Memory Café at Head2Head

Latest update: Connection between Dementia advisor and Head2Head CEO at the network meeting has led to the establishment of a Memory Café that is open to people with dementia and their carers.

Lack of local support for the unemployed

Latest update: Community Link Officer has liaised with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), citizens advice and St John’s Church to start a local one-stop shop. Plans to expand this and include breakfast offering.

Over the past year, our network has worked to identify and collectively action many areas to improve health and wellbeing in the local area.

Below is a selection of our neighbourhood highlights in 2023.

Access to General Practice

There is a desire for primary care (including a GP surgery if possible) on site in Hurst Green as new homes have been built without the resulting enhanced infrastructure.

Latest update: Health visitors are now having fortnight visit in South Tandridge Centre.​ The Family centre has Health Visitor checks for new parents. Alliance for Better Care GP federation ran Health Checks at the church, which has led to increased engagement with positive outcomes.​ 'Hear Here' replace hearing aid batteries at St Marys Oxted and residents can be trained in changing batteries on hearing aids. Oxted Health Centre and Lingfield are performing micro-suction ear wax removal. Hurst Green Community Centre rebuild will have two rooms that could be used for clinical work.

Additional needs

Neighbourhood network to consider proposed ideas and support community members to lead such initiatives.

Latest update: Support groups have been identified, including Send Advice, Mindworks Surrey, Family Voice Surrey and Young Epilepsy. Additional help has been set up to assist schools with pupils with suspected neurodiversity, and schools are responsible for referrals to Mindworks via the school primary mental health worker.​ The Mental Health Investment Funding proposal has set aside more funding to support these groups.

Breast feeding

There is a desire for more private spaces for breast-feeding in the GP practices and community.

Latest update: Appropriate spaces have been identified in Hurst Green and Oxted including Oxted Health Centre, Poppets it Oxted Community Centre, St Marys Oxted and Yoyos Playgroup in St Johns Hurst Green. Dr Gillian Orrow is working with Cafe Milk to find more locations and Dr Anna Musthill is working with businesses to find spaces.

Community groups

There is a need for more support for volunteers and community groups, including access to funding.

Latest update: The Commonplace map and Understory show these services and rely on individuals/organisations keeping them up to date.  Growing Health Together has supported many groups and will continue to help. Active Surrey has funding for physical activity and Tandridge Voluntary Action provide a point of contact for advice and guidance.

Community support

Hurst Green Neighbourhood plan was required to improve community spaces, address socioeconomic support needs, and improve transport.

Latest update: A plan is in place to improve community spaces and resources, particularly for young people.

Dementia

There is a desire for a dementia café and for dementia navigators to be integrated locally.

Latest update: The new Dementia Wellbeing Service has been set up and referrals can be made via surrey.alzheimers@nhs.net 

Food and clothing banks

There could be consideration as to whether there is a need for a mobile food bank and a stationary clothes bank.

Latest update: Local community fridge services, food providers, hygiene banks and school uniform providers have been identified in the area. Cerys Williams, the local area coordinator, will be setting up jumble sales in Hurst Green. There is also a static community fridge in Hurst Green, a uniform clothes bank at Hurst Green School and hygiene banks in Oxted, Hurst Green​, Godstone, Bletchingley and Redhill​. Food parcels can be provided by St John’s and they also offer vouchers to access the King’s Church food bank, located in Oxted. 

LGBTQ and disabilities

Would like to see access to LGBTQ+ groups for people with disabilities and their families.

Latest update: South Tandridge LGBTQ+ peer support group will be set up soon.

Mapping

There is strong interest from both local people and service providers in better understanding what is already available locally in our neighbourhoods to support health and wellbeing.

Latest update: We asked groups to map what they already knew in the South Tandridge area that was helping people live healthier lives​. Over 50 different services, projects and facilities were identified, and these have been plotted on Surrey County Council Commonplace map.

We would like to encourage people to provide further updates and to build community connections and assets.

Helping vulnerable utility service customers

South East Water can provide help to vulnerable customers.

Latest update: Schemes and services that are tailored to their individual specific needs can be found on their website. They also offer water saving devices.

Family planning and sexual health provision

There is a need for enhancing family planning and sexual health provision.

Latest update: Harry’s Youth Centre in Oxted has provided a one-off session. School nurses assist with advice with 'clinic in a box', and ‘chat health’, an anonymous text service which goes directly to a school nurse.

Transport

Transport is an issue especially in rural areas.

Latest update: Surrey Connect is an on-demand bus service that has launched, connecting the local community together.

Understory

We would like to see how all our key community players are interconnected with the purpose of being able to collaborate on projects.

Latest update: The Understory digital interactive mapping tool was used for communities to reveal the hidden connections that bind them together. Key members of the community came together in a workshop to create a network map. The map is still being populated and once completed it will be an analytical tool that underpins lots of community building work.​ More community connectors are invited to contribute to Understory.

Young people

There is a need for more youth clubs in the local community. 

Latest update: Youth Clubs identified in Hurst Green, Oxted, Godstone and Lingfield. The Friday Night Project for teenagers and Warren Clark Golfing Dreams offer physical activity. The Family Information Service will provide support.

We worked with partners to host community-facing workshops during the first quarter of 2023.

The feedback received was of critical importance in informing the development of the neighbourhood model in East Surrey.

South Tandridge feedback 2023