GROUPS, clubs and societies in Stalybridge now have the chance to call somewhere home after the establishment of a new ‘wellbeing corner.’
And the facility at the town’s railway station is available free of charge.
TransPennine Express, which manages the stop, has got together with the NHS and Action Together to help set up the room, which lies on platform four.
Now it can be ‘rented out’ by any group that wants to use it as a base or meeting point – and it will not cost a penny.
All that is needed is a call to those who co-ordinate it – and a key.
Jonathan King, Community Development Officer for Action Together and one of the people instrumental in setting it up, told The Correspondent: “We’ll be contacting all the community groups in Stalybridge – possibly a bit further afield too – as we want to get full community use from Monday to Sunday.
“There aren’t many places that are open at nighttime either, so as long as the station is open, which it is until 10pm, a group can book it.
“You then pick up a key from the station reception, sign it out and deliver your session.
“It can be anything – a community group, an activity, an event or even health testing. The aim is to capture as many people as we can in the Stalybridge area.
“All railway stations across Greater Manchester are looking at replicating it. This was a room used for interviews but it was under-utilised. Our aim now is to maximise it.
“Now we’re looking at doing some inter-generational work and we’ve an arts and crafts group that will be starting.
“We also want Stalybridge to become an age friendly town, so we’re looking at age friendly walks, involving local schools and this could be a good stop-off point.”
The room, which is immediately on your left if you walk up the ramp to platform four, is being pitched at hosting groups of 10-12 people.
More than 400 in the Stalybridge area have been contacted making them aware the Wellbeing Corner has been set up.
A care home is already looking at transporting some of its residents to and from the Corner, enabling them to take part in sessions.
And Heather Palmer of Tameside and Glossop Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), explained how it came about.
She said: “Transpennine Express approached the CCG, which works with the neighbourhood’s GP practices, and asked if we’d like the room to be used as a health and wellbeing corner.
“The railway company very kindly offered the room free of charge, which a lot of community groups struggle with.
“We had a couple of meetings and said, ‘Yes, we’ll use it.’ The location is also dead central and the station has a lift.
“We’ve cleaned the room up but the station has been really good and accommodating.”
• If you are interested in using the Stalybridge Wellbeing Corner, you can email Jonathan King at jonathan.king@actiontogether.org.uk or Georgia McMahon at georgia.mcmahon1@nhs.net
You can also call Jonathan on: 07741 193182.