It’s back to business as usual across The Fire Fighters Charity as our COVID-19-safe centres prepare to open their doors to beneficiaries for the first time since 16 March. The move follows a comprehensive review of activities across all three centres, to ensure that every necessary precaution has been taken to ensure the safety of our guests and employees.
With the centres re-opening soon, it also means that we can now support beneficiaries with our full range of face-to-face, online, community-based and welfare services, as Chief Executive, Dr Jill Tolfrey was keen to point out:
“I’m delighted to say that we are now back to fully open,” she says. “Next week we will be welcoming our first cohort of beneficiaries back to our three, Covid-19-safe centres, which means that anyone needing any kind of support – whether through face to face intervention, via our online video support services, in local communities or through our fantastic welfare team – can now get in touch and we will do all we can to support them. Indeed, in these testing times, I’d also like to remind you all that The Fire Fighters Charity is here to support you, whatever your need. So if you have found or are finding the coronavirus pandemic particularly challenging, please get in touch. Whether it’s with your mental health, physical health or social wellbeing, related to your work, to the pandemic or to life in general, we’re here for you.”
Last month we told you about the next chapter for our services, with technology very much at the heart of our plans for the future. So, today, we just thought we’d update you on progress in regards to the changes we’ve made at our centres and the full programme of support now available to you.
During lockdown we have continued to deliver services using digital approaches and for some beneficiaries in need of further support, we are now starting to book people onto a residential programme at one of our three centres.
We’ve had to put different measures in place at the centres in order to keep everyone safe, including grouping beneficiaries into bubbles for their time with us, and limiting the number of people who can be with us in the centres at any one time. Social distancing, one-way systems, temperature checks and hand sanitising stations have all been put in place, and everyone will have to wear masks or face coverings around the centres. Longer days with shorter duration of stay will provide beneficiaries with even more choice of sessions to best meet your need, and we’ll work together to devise a schedule that is specific to you.
Which centre you visit will depend on your primary need for support from the Charity. When you contact us we will work in partnership with you to understand your needs and identify the most appropriate support pathway to meet them. Not all our beneficiaries need residential support and, as we have proved over the last six months, we can meet the need of a lot of our beneficiaries through non-residential support such as telephone and online counselling as well as digital physiotherapy.
If we feel a residential stay would enhance your recovery we will explore this with you and discuss which centre is best placed to meet your needs. This may not necessarily be the centre closest to where you live. For beneficiaries needing support with their psychological health, then Harcombe House may be best suited to meet your need. While Marine Court and Jubilee House may best suit those whose primary need related to physical health. This is why it is important for us to understand your needs, so we can find the best possible way to support you and help you reach your desired objectives.
So if something is affecting your mental health, physical health or social wellbeing, get in touch with us. Find out more about how we can help online, call our Support Line on 0800 389 8820, browse our library of health and wellbeing resources, or submit an enquiry for support online.