In our latest spotlight, VONNE members West End Refugee Service and Walking With discuss their newly funded community-led health initiative taking shape across Newcastle and North Tyneside, aiming to use a social prescribing approach to tackle long-standing health inequalities faced by refugees and asylum seekers.
Imagine arriving in a country you’ve never set foot in. You may not speak the language. You’ve survived trauma you’re still trying to process. You can’t go home, and you’re not even sure what help you’re allowed to ask for. This is the reality for many asylum seekers when they reach the UK - a mix of uncertainty, isolation and overwhelming complexity.
Now imagine, in the midst of that confusion, a group reaching out to you. A warm space. A friendly welcome. A hot drink placed in your hands. And, perhaps most importantly, someone who sits beside you and listens - really listens - before offering advice, reassurance and a route to the services you desperately need.
Support doesn’t only come in offices or formal appointments. Sometimes it arrives through simple, human moments: social gatherings where newcomers can make friends without fear of judgement; relaxed walks in the Northumbrian countryside where volunteers and refugees talk freely, swapping stories, worries and practical guidance; or community gardening groups where people step away from daily pressures to breathe, reconnect and learn small grounding techniques that can be repeated when life feels chaotic.
These everyday interactions do more than offer comfort - they help rebuild trust, confidence and belonging. They turn social prescribing from an abstract idea into lived experience: connection, community and calm in the midst of upheaval.
A new community-led health initiative is taking shape across Newcastle and North Tyneside, aiming to tackle long-standing health inequalities faced by refugees and asylum seekers. The Help for Health (HfH) project is delivered in partnership by West End Refugee Service (WERS) and Walking With. The work is funded by the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) Healthier and Fairer programme and as part of the Healthy Communities and Social Prescribing Grant programme, coordinated by VONNE.
The HfH project brings together health education, social prescribing and peer support in an effort to reshape how newcomers access and engage with the UK’s healthcare system and improve mental and physical health.
At the heart of the project is a priority that frontline charities have long recognised: many refugees arrive with little understanding of how to navigate NHS structures, where to seek mental health support, or how to access community-based wellbeing services. HfH responds by offering a programme of clear, accessible workshops and drop-in sessions designed to demystify GP registration, healthcare entitlements and the role of social prescribing.
“Information is powerful, but only when people can actually understand and use it,” said Mimi Nwokeh, Support Worker at WERS. “These sessions are about replacing confusion with confidence.”
Alongside improving health literacy, the project focuses heavily on tailored social prescribing pathways. Working with local link workers and healthcare providers, HfH maps out routes that connect refugees with appropriate community services - from mental health support to wellbeing activities that reduce isolation and strengthen social networks. The aim is not simply to introduce people to services, but to ensure those services are culturally accessible, relevant and sustained.
One of the project’s most crucial aims is the introduction of a Peer Navigator programme. Refugees with lived experience will be trained to support others in accessing healthcare and engaging in social prescribing opportunities. Peer Navigators will offer one-to-one assistance, lead workshops and wellbeing sessions and play a critical role in building trust - an essential component when people face language barriers, trauma, or unfamiliarity with British systems.
“These peer-led programmes work because the support feels relatable, rather than institutional,” explains Korey B, a participant in the programme. “People listen differently when advice comes from someone who’s been through the same challenges.”
Workshops focusing on mental health and wellbeing run alongside the development of the social prescribing pathway, offering participants structured opportunities to try activities like mindfulness, group walks or community arts sessions. These experiences not only support immediate wellbeing but also act as gateways to longer-term engagement with local services.
Walking With engages with local practitioners such as the Social Prescribing Teams in GP surgeries, Health Care Professionals, and other partners who they sign post to for social activities. These include Football at Wallsend Boys’ Club, to encourage physical exercise, teamwork, and social interaction among participants. It serves as a positive outlet for stress relief and helps build community bonds.
A men’s group meets weekly in a relaxed, barbershop-style setting which encourages open discussions, idea sharing, and support among male participants. The group acts as a safe space to address personal challenges, mental health issues, and community concerns, helping to strengthen social connections and emotional wellbeing.
A ladies’ group gathers each week to focus on wellbeing and mental health activities. The sessions create a supportive forum for women to share experiences, discuss challenges, and participate in activities aimed at boosting mental health resilience and emotional support networks.
Service users often come together to prepare and share meals at the Walking With Centre - encouraging social inclusion, cultural exchange, and a sense of belonging; and a group of sanctuary seekers takes part in outdoor activities like camping and tree planting - providing chances to learn new skills, connect with nature, and enjoy activities that positively affect mental health and personal growth.
The HfH project’s design places strong emphasis on health literacy, mental health, service access and understanding of social prescribing. This evidence base will help refine future delivery and support wider adoption across the region.
Joan Hoult, CEO, Walking With, says: “Working in collaboration with WERS will help us reach more people and provide vital support on a larger scale. The funding has enabled us to pay towards a salary for our Sanctuary Support Worker which is a vital role within our organisation.”
By targeting a marginalised community and strengthening connections to primary care, mental health support and community-based resources, HfH directly addresses the North East's commitment to tackling health inequalities. We hope that the project - grounded in collaboration, lived experience and practical evaluation - will become a model that can be replicated in other parts of the region.
Richard Boggie, Strategic Health Partnerships Manager, and lead for the HC&SP grant programme at VONNE says: “This project is a great example of VCSE organisations supporting disadvantaged people to access health services. It’s vital that strategic commissioners like the Integrated Care Board (ICB) continue to fund projects like Help for Health if they want to see health inequalities reduce.”
In a landscape where healthcare can feel daunting for newcomers, Help for Health offers something essential: clarity, connection and a pathway to wellbeing.
Help for Health is one of six projects from across the North East and North Cumbria (NENC) that have secured investments totalling over £127,000 from the Healthy Communities and Social Prescribing Grant Programme 2025/26, funded by the NENC Integrated Care Board (ICB) and coordinated by VONNE. You can read more about all the projects here: New grant recipients work to strengthen social prescribing in North East and North Cumbria.
If you are interested in learning more about the Help for Health project, contact: info@wers.org.uk
WERS are continually looking for volunteers to get involved. If you are interested, there’s more information on their website: Volunteer | Join Our Effort
They also have a current fundraiser. If you are interested in donating funds to support their work you can find out more at this link: Belonging starts here - a Charities crowdfunding project in Newcastle upon Tyne
You can learn more about the work of Walking With on their website: Walking With