Watford homeless charity celebrates successful health event
A range of organisations teamed up to offer homeless individuals health check ups, wellbeing services and a home-cooked meal
Last updated 23rd May 2025
A Hertfordshire charity is celebrating the success of a health and wellbeing event which saw organisations join up to create a unique opportunity for those in need.
New Hope, a homeless support and outreach charity based in Watford, brought the event back after a successful run last year.
At their day centre, The Haven, which operates as a night shelter in the winter, a total of 59 individuals took up the opportunity to be looked after.
"...it's connecting with people and treating people as a person..."
It all started by the centre doors, where Change Grow Live (CGL), a drug and alcohol recovery service, set up a tent to welcome each visitor.
By being visible, they were able to not only check in on familiar individuals, but introduce themselves to potential new service users.
Caroline from the service said: "We look after the street homeless people in temporary accommodation, people about to be evicted.
"It's much more than just drug and alcohol, it's connecting with people and treating people as a person and not just a client and a service user."
Joining her was Helen, a recovery worker at CGL doing harm minimisation targeted mainly at injectors, providing them with Naloxone to minimise the risks sustained by an overdose.
Right by their tent, parked outside, was a NHS van providing private consultations.
Based on the success of last year's event, the team was able to follow-up on liver health checks carried out then.
Claire St John, a Hepatitis C Operational Delivery Manager for North Central London and Hertfordshire, said: "We've brought our mobile clinic here today and we are offering liver scans, so we target people in the Community, GP surgeries and drug and alcohol services.
"We want to detect liver cirrhosis as early as possible because liver cirrhosis can lead to liver cancer and once you get liver cancer, it's very, very hard to treat and it's not a very nice end of your life.
"So it's all about prevention."
Ms St John worked in collaboration with the Hepatitis C Trust, who set up a testing station inside.
In the room were Chris and David, two former drug users who turned their lives around and decided to give back to the community by supporting others in their health and recovery process.
While a lot of their work relies on outreach, events like this one enables to directly engage with homeless individuals who are more willing to accept help being offered to them.
Both said their personal experiences of addiction, and Chris' recovery journey from Hepatitis C, help them connect with the service users they support.
"Everyone deserves a fair chance to know what they can do and who they are..."
Through the centre doors and straight into the main room was volunteer for Haircuts for Homeless, Erin, with her setup.
Throughout the day she gave each individual sitting in her chair a trim, which she believes holds a lot of power.
She said: "It's really important. It's one human helping another, that's pretty much what it is, but it's powerful.
"Everyone deserves a fair chance to know what they can do and who they are, and sometimes a haircut can help someone see who they are."
While some enjoyed a freshly cooked barbecue, courtesy of Simon Rapkin who runs Maverick Humanity, a charity feeding the homeless across London, others were prescribed glasses by Luqman Tahir from Ophthalmic Clarity.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, he said: "I think a lot of people have come in the room not really realising they've got much of a visual problem and then providing that difference in terms of lenses has been quite profound for them.
"And the biggest thing with that is the is the snowball effect. Hopefully that can open more doors in terms of education where they can maybe start reading a bit more, because obviously their current predicament isn't the best situation, but if they are willing, they are ready and we give them all the tools it's a fantastic way for them to develop and progress in the future."
Other organisations present on the day included The Massage Company, a newly-established company in the town, One Impossible Thing, an organisation breaking down barriers to being active by giving away trainers and specialised sports footwear, and many more.