Last week Workbridge announced temporary closures to all retail and community service user sessions following the government’s response to coronavirus. As key workers, our staff at Workbridge are continuing to support the essential work of mental health care at the hospital site of St Andrew’s Healthcare, Northampton.

We have a team of Workbridge colleagues currently working together to sort and pack cleaning materials and PPE (personal protective equipment), ready to deliver to St Andrew’s wards.

Our Workbridge coffee shop team have been helping the catering department across St Andrew’s to cook nutritional, hot meals for patients and undertake general catering duties. One of our vocational skills instructors is currently supporting the security team. Colleagues are also supporting other areas of Workbridge in ceramics where we have needed to empty the system and ensure the clay is used and not wasted to make products ready for the kiln. It’s been all-hands-on in the garden centre as it’s our busy period for potting and plant growth.

Our horticultural team are working with our Occupational Therapists to plan how we can take therapeutic activity on to the wards for patients while adopting social distancing. Finally, we are still making customer orders in woodwork and canvas printing, though of course these finished products cannot be collected yet.

“In these unprecedented times, I would like to thank the Workbridge team for their continued efforts and positive attitudes. Each day is different and we are ready to support other areas across St. Andrew’s Healthcare as and when we are needed. To all service users, we miss you and are thinking of you. Please stay safe at home and keep in touch.” – Helen Wright, Head of Workbridge.