Published on: July 26, 2023
Connect for Health held its annual away day at Coventry and North Warwickshire Cricket Club.
Around fifty staff, led by Service Manager Karen Cornick at the Warwickshire School Nursing Service, enjoyed a day full of information and activities alongside colleagues in partner service Change Makers, healthy lifestyle team.
Compass CEO, Rachel Bundock was also there to speak to the gathering as well as Jane Wright, Assistant Director Operations.
Andi Leach, Admin Lead, reported: “Jane welcomed everyone to the day and handed over to Rachel who set us the challenge of considering whether our glass is half full or half empty. Either way, we were reminded that we don’t need one skill set, we need many and that every role is vital.
“Karen then reflected on the amazing work achieved throughout the last academic year. We played a game where each table had to guess how many specific interventions we had completed. The table who came the closest won some unhealthy chocolate.”
Jake Pantony (healthy lifestyle co-ordinator) gave a fun-filled demonstration of some of the activities he has been incorporating into lessons to help pupils engage.
Zelah Wickendon (SCPHN student) – fed back about the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller project she has been running as part of her course. Through the project she has engaged with partners who are already established with these communities, connections have been made and we plan to build on this networking over the coming year.”
Andi explained: “In groups, we then considered how we could be more inclusive in our practice. First, we identified the marginalised groups eg teenage pregnant teenagers, home schooled, SEND, refugee and asylum seeking families etc. From here we will build on our service offer to make sure we are actively reaching out to these groups.”
Andi said: “It was lovely to have a whole team buffet lunch together and the food was great!
There were team building games in the afternoon which were thoroughly enjoyed.
Andi said: “It is important to come together to reflect on the work achieved, we are a large team of over 50 staff to share our achievements, our proud moments and our innovative thoughts for the future.
Kat Pitham, an Administrator, commented “As a new starter with C4H, it was great to meet everyone in person – put a face to the name!”
Isabel Main, Clinical Operations Manager, said: “This was my first Away day, it was so great to see the whole service including Change Makers together reflecting on the past academic year, sharing those moments that made them proud of the work that they do and looking to the future for how we can work better for the CYP we serve”
And Karen Cornick added: “It was so nice to see everyone’s happy smiling faces. We have achieved so much this year and it was lovely to be able to celebrate together.”