The Mayor and Mayoress of Halifax were welcomed to the construction site of our new Community Diagnostic Centre Broad Street Plaza last week to mark a visit from a local men's wellbeing group. 

On Wednesday and Thursday, local over-50s group, Men In Sheds (part of the Age UK charity network), were invited to engage in some hands-on wellbeing activities on the construction site. Men in Sheds, based in Sowerby Bridge, provides support, mental wellbeing and social engagement to a local population of mature people, mainly men, who have struggled with retirement and old age.

Thanks to a co-ordinated community engagement effort between CHFT, Integrated Health Partners,  JLL, Palace Capital and Integral, the group were able to spend two days on-site, completing an array of different construction activities. 

The group re-used wooden pallets that had been left on the site and turned them into crates, trays and bird boxes.  And they also be built a waste cardboard store to help improve the disposal of on-site waste.  Guests were also given a tour of the Broad Street construction site.

Senior Estates Officer, Jammal Mohammed, was on-site for the visit. He said: "The event went really well and the organisers did a fantastic job. The feedback was very positive from the Men in Sheds members, and they were very appreciative of the opportunity. The Mayor was also very impressed by the progress being made on the new Community Diagnostic Centre.

"It was fantastic to be part of, and I'm very proud to have been involved. Things like this show we're part of a wider community and can have a real impact on local people's wellbeing."