New health and wellbeing service opens in shipping containers in Norwich
Mental health, alcohol and debt support are now on offer in the NR3 area
People in north Norwich can now get health and wellbeing support from a set of shipping containers in the heart of their community.
The new neighbourhood service has opened this week at St Saviour's Yard, off Anglia Square, in the NR3 area of the city.
It's being run out of three containers by a partnership including the local NHS, Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, Norfolk County Council's adult social services, Change Grow Live and other local organisations.
What's on offer
The three units will initially deliver alcohol support drop-in sessions, mental health assessments, and advice on social care, housing and debt.
The idea is to give people easier access to appointments and professional support closer to home.
The services are not for emergencies, and are not generally a walk-in service, with people invited to appointments through the usual methods.
A first of its kind
The project has come out of the ongoing redevelopment of Anglia Square, which has led to the creation of St Saviour's Yard.
The lease for the three containers and the set-up costs have been funded by the local NHS.
It's being offered as a pilot until February 2027, with partners hoping to roll out the same approach across Norfolk.
A spokesperson for Meanwhile Creative, which operates St Saviour's Yard and has leased the containers, said: "We are ecstatic to support the NHS with this pioneering initiative, the first of its kind in the country. Providing three of our containers allows us to branch out and keep exploring what our Meanwhile spaces can achieve, and we can't wait to see the positive impact on the local community."
'Safer, kinder and better care'
Deputy Chief Operating Officer for Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, Andy Mack, said: "The St Saviours Yard project will make it easier for people in North Norwich to access mental health support closer to home. By bringing services into the heart of the community and working alongside local partners, the project will help people receive more personalised support, reduce missed appointments and assessments, and ensure more people can access safer, kinder and better care when they need it."
Mat Armitage, Deputy Service Manager at Change Grow Live in Norfolk, said: "We want to show North City Centre residents that Change Grow Live is here for them by offering our free support around alcohol in a way that fits around their lives. Being at St Saviour's Yard every week means we can reach even more people who want guidance around drinking but aren't sure how to get help. By working together with the other services in this partnership, we can help to improve the lives of North City Centre residents, ensuring they have access to support they deserve in the easiest way possible."
Mark Burgis, Executive Director of Primary Care and Neighbourhood Health for Norfolk and Waveney at NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board, said: "This is a project we were delighted to support from the outset to help bring access to healthcare and wellbeing support closer to people's homes.
"Our Central Norfolk Place and Neighbourhood Team has also helped bring local partners together to develop this innovative model. The project demonstrates how strong local partnerships can deliver joined-up services that respond to the needs and wishes of local people. We are grateful for the community engagement led by Shoebox Enterprises CIC, which played a key role in its development."